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Landscaping
Landscape your home for energy efficiency
Arboria garden structures
Arboria features distinctive, high quality sustainable furniture and garden structures made in the USA from natural, renewable Western Red Cedar. The company uses lumber grown and harvested using sustainable, environmentally responsible forestry techniques. Products include a wide variety of arbors, trellises, and landscape screens suitable for energy-efficient landscaping applications.Ecologic Fan Trellis
The Ecologic Fan Trellis is made from 100 percent recycled HDPE plastic ECOLumber. It measures 5 feet high by 36 inches wide at the top, comes with weather-resistant screws, and carries a lifetime warranty. The Fan Trellis comes in a choice of colors: Dark Green, Weatherwood, and Caramel.Energy Efficient and Environmental Landscaping
Energy-Efficient and Environmental Landscaping will show you how to save up to 30 percent on heating bills and 75 percent on air-conditioning with detailed suggestions and plant lists for each region in the US. It also tells you how to cut outdoor water costs by 80 percent, reduce yard maintenance for a lush lawn with less effort and no toxic chemicals, and create a pest-free yard that's inviting to wildlife.Greenwood Nursery hedges and windbreaks
Greenwood Nursery offers a variety of trees and hedges for windbreaks, including Degroots Spire Arborvitae, Green Giant Cedars, Siberian Elms, Norway Spruce, Frasier Firs, Lombardy Poplars, Eastern White Pine, and Blue Point Junipers.Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co. Windbreaks
Gurney's trees for windbreaks include Lombardy Poplars, Colorado Blue Spruce, Scotch Pine, Hybrid Elms, Ponderosa Pine, Red Cedar, White Pine, Russian Olive, and Cottonless Cottonwoods.High Country Gardens drought-resistant plants
Low-water and native plants great for the western gardener. Choices include ornamental grasses, shrubs, conifers, cacti, succulents, groundcovers, perennials, low-water grass seed, planned gardens, and more.Yucca Do Nursery drought-tolerant plants
Yucca Do Nursery specializes in drought- and heat-tolerant plants and trees, with over 300 plants to choose from. Their offerings include palms, cyads, shrubs, vines, bromeliads, bulbs, succulents, perennials, ferns, and grasses.
Choose the correct watering system
Clean Air Gardening
Clean Air Gardening, a carbon-neutral company, offers a variety of rain barrels.Nelson
Nelson products are available at popular retailers and include sprinklers, nozzles, automatic watering devices, brass "quick connects," hose repair kits, and the Simple Soaker, a soaker hose that can be set up in 15 minutes.The Drip Store
The Drip Store offers a variety of drip irrigation systems. Download the free "Drip Irrigation Installation & Planning Guide."
Practice xeriscaping
Cacti.Com landscaping succulents
Cacti.Com is a Southern California-based web nursery specializing in landscaping succulents. It offers a wide variety of plants including cacti, aloes, agaves, euphorbias, and many other drought-tolerant materials.Dryland Gardening by Jennifer Bennett
Dryland Gardening covers all types of perennials, annuals, bulbs, shrubs, vines, herbs, grasses, and ground covers that survive and thrive in tough conditions.High Country Gardens drought-resistant plants
Low-water and native plants great for the western gardener. Choices include ornamental grasses, shrubs, conifers, cacti, succulents, groundcovers, perennials, low-water grass seed, planned gardens, and more.Xeriscape Handbook by Gayle Weinstein
The Xeriscape Handbook is a how-to guide to natural, resource-wise gardening. It's one of a series of books from Fulcrum Publishing that includes the Xeriscape Plant Guide and the Xeriscape Color Guide.Yucca Do Nursery drought-tolerant plants
Yucca Do Nursery specializes in drought- and heat-tolerant plants and trees, with over 300 plants to choose from. Their offerings include palms, cyads, shrubs, vines, bromeliads, bulbs, succulents, perennials, ferns, and grasses.
Use eco-friendly landscaping tools
Black & Decker 18 Volt Lawncare Center
The Black & Decker 18 Volt Lawncare Center includes a cordless string trimmer for grass trimming and edging; a cordless hedge trimmer; and a hard surface sweeper for quick cleanup. Includes a wall-mount storage and charging station to keep all three batteries charged and ready.Carts Vermont Large Garden Cart
This large 13.6-cubic-foot garden cart has a 400-pound maximum load capacity, zinc-plated hardware, 19-gauge galvanized tubing, and a 1/2-inch, hand-dipped, environmentally safe stained plywood body. Perfect for gardening, landscaping, hauling wood, or any other heavy-duty project.Clean Air Gardening 7 Gallon Tub
If you have bulky items to carry, or just want an easy way to cart gardening supplies around, you'll like this flexible 7-gallon bucket (a larger 11-gallon bucket is also available). It's made from 100 percent recycled tire rubber. You can bend, twist, and shake it and it'll still return to the same shape.Clean Air Gardening Canvas Gardening Gloves
These heavy-duty canvas work gloves are made from 100 percent recycled content (65 percent post-industrial cotton, 35 percent post-industrial polyester). Heavy canvas fabric is ideal for handling brush, thorns, or sharp debris. Protect your hands and protect the earth at the same time.CobraHead Weeder and Cultivator
The CobraHead weeder and cultivator is made of knife-blade quality, self-sharpening steel with an environmentally friendly, wood fiber-reinforced plastic handle. The comfortable, efficient handle allows for easy left-hand or right-hand use. This sharp weeder works especially well in tight spaces.Deluxe 26" Push Lawn Sweeper
Tired of raking but don’t want to resort to a noisy, polluting leaf blower? The Deluxe 26-inch Push Lawn Sweeper eliminates all sorts of organic debris from lawns, concrete, driveways, and walkways without hassle. Its sizable hamper makes it great for wide areas and big jobs.Enviro-5 100% Natural 5-in-1 Lubricant
Enviro-5 is a biodegradable, nontoxic, multi-purpose oil: an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-based WD-40. Use it on hand or power tools as a penetrating oil, rust solvent, degreaser, lubricant, or for corrosion protection. Contains no petroleum. Pleasant, fresh-mown hay scent!Foldit Aluminum Collapsible Garden Cart
This versatile collapsible garden cart is made of lightweight aluminum and can haul leaves, soil, garbage cans, and more. Folds up to less than two square feet and fits in your car trunk. Bike and tractor hitches sold separately.Haaga TopSweep Sweeper
Clear your driveway, sidewalk, or other outdoor space with ease—just push and clean! Picks up wet and dry leaves, stones, and more. Great for large areas and frequent cleaning. Eco-downside: it’s polypropylene and made in Germany. Eco-upside: The only energy it uses is yours.Mantis E-System Power Head
The lightweight Mantis E-System Power Head with its extra long reach lets you easily reach up into tall trees and get into tough spots. Just snap on an attachment and go! E-System attachments include a line trimmer, hedge trimmer, pruner/chain saw, and edger all sold separately. Includes shoulder harness.Remington BV12200AT Shredder Vac and Blower
Remington’s environmentally friendly electric and cordless outdoor power equipment includes this 3-in-1 blower, vacuum, and mulcher. Its anti-clog design even vacuums and mulches wet leaves.Remington Pre-Owned Tools
Give a good tool a second life. Remington’s reconditioned tools include electric chain saws, tillers, pole saws, pruning saws, and hedge trimmers. All come with a 90-day warranty. Save money and the environment!Smith & Hawken Cultivator
Guaranteed for life, the Smith & Hawken cultivator is ideal for small beds and containers. It has a heavy-duty carbon steel head with a rust-resistant powder coat. Its European ash wood handle is sustainably harvested and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Made in England.Smith & Hawken Long-handled Shovel
Guaranteed for life, the Smith & Hawken long-handled shovel is ideal for lifting and throwing gravel, compost, soil, and sand. It has a heavy-duty carbon steel head with a rust-resistant powder coat. Its European ash wood handle is sustainably harvested and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Made in England.Smith & Hawken Trowel
Guaranteed for life, the Smith & Hawken trowel is ideal for excavating, shaping, and digging small holes for planting. It has a heavy-duty carbon steel head with a rust-resistant powder coat. Its European ash wood handle is sustainably harvested and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Made in England.WOLF-Garten gardening system
The German-made WOLF-Garten system features a mix-and-match assortment of comfortable handles and quality tool heads (some PVC). Tool set includes 9 different handles and 19 assorted tools, including rakes, edgers, pruners, loppers, hoes, weeders, trowels, trimmers, and more.
Create a backyard wildlife habitat
Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard Wildlife
This book provides in-depth information about wildlife-friendly gardening techniques and basic habitat elements suitable to any size yard or garden. Featuring 170 beautiful color photos of certified habitat landscapes and backyard wildlife, this how-to book makes landscaping for wildlife fun and easy!Bloom Recycled Glass Hummingbird Feeder
This multi-port, basin-style feeder is a dazzling attraction for your landscape. Based on designs of antique hurricane lanterns, the Bloom hummingbird feeder features the patented Flower Feeding Tubes™ in red glass. Feeder comes in aqua, blue, clear, green, and violet.Cottage Solar Toad Abode
The Solar Toad Abode provides the cool, dark hideaway toads seek during the day. At night, when toads search for food, the Solar Toad Abode lights up, attracting the bugs toads are hungry for, including mosquitoes, ants, flies, and grubs. Sensor automatically turns the Abode on at dusk.Coveside Bat-Chelor Pad Bat House
The Bat-Chelor Pad houses up to 30 bats in a single chamber. Features for this bat house design include a large screened landing pad, roughened interior surface, and an echolocation slot. Designed for cooler locations preferred by solitary males, but also suitable for a small nursing colony.Improvements Blue Glass In-Ground Bird Bath
The Blue Glass In-Ground Bird Bath is crafted of thick, vibrant, cobalt-blue glass, supported by a spiral-wrapped steel frame. Also available is a Hanging Bird Bath, which hangs from three chains. Both of these reasonably-priced bird baths are available in either blue or amethyst.Mosaic Cascade Solar Fountain and Birdbath
Water gently trickles down the five-tier Mosaic Cascades Solar Fountain to inspire serenity and relaxation. A solar-powered pump draws water to the top vessel, where it flows down from basin to basin in a continuous recycling process. Bowls are handmade so dimensions vary slightly.Nature Hills Trees, Plants, Bushes, and Shrubs
Nature Hills, located in Omaha, Nebraska, offers a huge variety of shade trees, evergreens, fruit trees, nut trees, bushes, shrubs, vines, small fruits, groundcovers, ferns, and grasses.Real Goods Bee Condo
Putting one or several of these attractive "birdhouses for bees" in a protected area invites gentle, non-stinging orchard mason bees to take up residence and pollinate your garden. Condos are made of reclaimed fir posts by artisans who are paid a fair living wage. Made in USA.Recycled Birdhouse Company
These one-of-a-kind birdhouses are made from recycled materials and antique lumber. Each is a unique piece of folk art, designed and finished for exterior use. The Birdhouse Project is a vocational, educational, and money-making enterprise for disabled young men at Brown’s Foster Home in Rome, Maine.Smith and Hawken Reclaimed mahogany and copper birdhouse
For the outdoor enthusiast on your list, check out this Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired birdhouse constructed of solid, reclaimed mahogany and copper in the USA. It’s made with a clean-out door, bottom drainage and ventilation slot, and is finished with teak oil.Stargazer Perennials Organically Grown Plants
Stargazer Perennials, of Summerville, Oregon, is a year-round, working sustainable farm and nursery that grows using only organic methods. They offer over 400 varieties of cold-hardy perennials, hardy roses, over 30 ornamental grasses, a wide selection of shrubs, herbs, vegetables, and more!The Vermont Wildflower Farm
The Vermont Wildflower Farm offers premium, proven wildflower seed mixtures for all regions of North America, plus wildflower seeds of over 100 individual wild perennial and annual
flowers.
Use eco-friendly landscape materials
American Recycled Plastics Interlocking Landscape Ties
These 6-inch by 8-inch black landscape ties feature an interlocking end, predrilled for rebar. Made from 100 percent recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with 80 percent post-consumer material. Unlike wood, they’re impervious to rot, decay, and insects, and never need painting.American Specialty Glass Landscape Glass
Create a beautiful glass garden for your yard, business, or even indoors, with 100 percent recycled landscape glass in a wide array of colors, sizes, and textures. Choose from glass sand, gravel, and glass rocks for decorative mulch, pathways, and water features.CedarCide Industries Cedarshield Wood Stabilizer & Preservative
CedarShield is a penetrant, not a coating, and can be used to encapsulate chromated copper arsenate, ammonium copper quaternary, and other toxic wood treatments found in landscape timbers, decks, and playground equipment.Cunningham Brick Company Scenic Scape Brick Nuggets
Scenic Scape™ Brick Nuggets are crushed waste brick—perfect for walkways and landscaping. Nuggets come in four sizes, from a fine dust to 1 1/4 inches. The company makes recycled content bricks and has distributors in the eastern and central US.Master Mark Plastics Landscape Edging
Keep flower beds neat and attractive with one of over 20 styles of landscape edging made from either 100 percent recycled high-density polyethylene (HPDE) plastic from recycled from milk jugs, detergent containers, and soda bottles; or 50/50 recycled HDPE and sawdust.





Comments
4:58pm
What about visual pollution? Do you have any facts/tips about it?
Many thanks!