Sustainable Landscapes - Sustainable Communities, Australia

1. sustainable communities 32 2.4 SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES
Sustainable Landscapes
the great thing about sustainable do many things including providing practical to replace the productive capacity of the land
landscapes is that they can simultaneously solutions to reducing water use through water taken up by a new building.
address aesthetics and amenity, water sensitive design and as part of a wastewater
Sustainable landscape may be used to
management, air quality, passive design, treatment system.
control salination, help take up carbon dioxide
climate modification, biodiversity habitat
Sustainable landscape design is an approach and contribute to restoring and maintaining
creation and local food production.
to designing and constructing the artificial biodiversity. The location of vegetation can
There are literally hundreds of definitions landscapes that surround our buildings. Ideally influence choices about building orientation:
for ‘sustainable’ but the basic idea is that if these landscapes should maintain themselves a tree may shade part of a site and limit solar
something is sustainable it can keep going and survive by being part of the natural cycles access but be an essential part of retaining soil,
indefinitely. Natural systems have been of the local environment. providing habitat and creating shelter.
operating successfully for millions of years.
In many cases this means finding out what the
Nothing made by humans can do that.
original local environment was like. This is often When choosing a site,
Sustainable landscapes are concerned with difficult, as in our cities and even in rural areas take account of existing
the planning and design of outdoor space. It the landscape was significantly changed after
vegetation for windbreaks,
is important to consider the landscape as an European settlement.
integral part of your home’s sustainable designs.
shading and views.
Sustainable landscape means putting back
The scope of design of outdoor space may much of what was in place before development.
range from revegetation of a large bush block It may also mean introducing things that were Design landscaping to be experienced inside
to the detailed design of small courtyard spaces not there before. and out. Sustainable landscaping can be
intimately linked to a sustainable home. The employed to create shade, or to enhance or
extent and type of vegetation is obviously frame views. It can be attractive to look at and
important but sustainable landscape design can site also provide privacy from surrounding buildings.
It can also supply food and help create pleasant
Sustainable landscaping is about more than
areas for recreation. [See: 2.2 Choosing a Site;
planting Australian natives, it is about designing
2.5 Biodiversity On-site]
landscapes to fit the new ecology created
when buildings are constructed. It can include In recent years the definition of a sustainable
food producing gardens irrigated by captured landscape has evolved to include landscape
stormwater and landscaping practices like elements that are literally part of a building.
Edwina Richardson
Edwina Robinson
permaculture. Many extensive green roofs are constructed
specifically to support native and indigenous
Sustainable landscaping includes such
vegetation as part of a wider strategy for
diverse approaches as restoring creeks where
enhancing or replacing the natural biodiversity
This garden has been planted with local wetland plants development has trammeled or annihilated
of a place or region. Often this kind of roof
and attracts frogs, dragon flies and local birds. their previous course, or creating roof gardens
This street needs ... A pump to take An airconditioner to A device to capture A dust catcher and air filter
up stormwater improve the climate carbon dioxide
Shade from ultraviolet radiation Wildlife habitat Something decorative? And low maintenance! This street needs trees!

2. 2.4 SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES 33 sustainable communities
greening strategy is also geared towards Native birds and reptiles can be protected from water
providing habitat for threatened or endangered cats by keeping the cats indoors or in purpose
A house covers ground that was once
species. Depending on their context, function, built enclosures.
productive natural landscape where rain soaked
vegetation types and watering regimes, green
Growing fruit and vegetables is a way of into the soil to support vegetation. Its roof can
walls can be seen as legitimate contributions
reducing our ecological footprint. Most be used to capture rainwater that can then be
to the creation of a sustainable landscape
vegetables and fruit require fertile soils with used to irrigate new vegetation, perhaps even
and may even be integrated into wastewater
good drainage, regular watering and moderate on a roof garden or balcony. Capturing water
treatment systems. [See: 5.13 Green Roofs and
amounts of sunlight depending upon the this way also reduces the release of stormwater
Walls]
climatic zone. Vegetable gardens can generally to the street. [See: 5.13 Green Roofs and Walls;
be provided in raised garden beds with the 7.3 Rainwater]
GrowinG plants addition of home made compost and well
Low water-use vegetation or ‘xeriscape’ can
rotted animal manures. Fruit and vegetables
Sustainable landscapes use plants which greatly reduce the need for supplementary
generally require regular drip irrigation.
perform well in the local area. Avoid native garden watering. Indigenous species are usually
or exotic plants that are weedy in your Lawn is a common feature in Australian the best for the low rainfall conditions found in
region. Suitable plants may include native landscapes but it generally requires high much of Australia. [See: 7.6 Outdoor Water Use]
and indigenous plants, as well as exotics levels of water, fertilisers and energy to
Vegetation can even take up effluent via sub-
(non-Australian plants) from similar climatic maintain its appearance. These impacts can
surface irrigation, especially in outer urban and
zones. Plants should ideally perform well be minimised by:
rural sites. [See: 7.4 Wastewater Re-use]
once established on existing soils and existing > Removing lawn and replacing it with a mix
rainfall patterns without the need for excessive The use of water bodies like ponds and water
of groundcovers and non-woody plants and
watering, soil modification and intensive features can be integrated into a sustainable
permeable surfaces such as gravel.
maintenance regimes. landscape solution as part of an overall water
> Reducing the extent of lawn and increasing management system and as part of the passive
What is the difference between ‘native’ and the area of hardy garden beds. climate response strategy for your home.
‘indigenous’? In general terms, native plants are
all plants from Australia. Indigenous plants are > Substituting exotic grass species with
drought tolerant low maintenance native
those specific to a particular place. lanDscape materials
grasses that retain the appearance of a
A sustainable garden uses a wide range of conventional lawn. Landscape materials account for much of
plants from different structural categories, such the embodied energy in a landscape project.
as trees, screening shrubs, medium shrubs, Synthetic grass products are an inappropriate
Consider reusing existing site materials such
low shrubs, groundcovers, strappy plants choice for sustainable landscapes. Non-living,
as pavers and excavated rocks. Employ
and grasses, climbers, perennials and bulbs. synthetic plant substitutes diminish, rather than
recycled materials wherever possible such as
Structural diversity will encourage wildlife into add to biodiversity. They are products of mining
crushed brick/ concrete, recycled timber and
the landscape and prickly plants will provide and a great deal of water and energy are used
products like recycled glass. Where recycled
shelter for small birds. Ensure wildlife are not in their manufacture.
timber is unavailable use sustainably managed
compromised by domestic pets. plantation timber or timber composite products
in preference to imported rainforest timbers.
Avoid excessive amounts of paving which can
contribute to microclimate heating and reduced
site permeability. Following the saying “only
pave where you sit, stand and walk!”
air
In a healthy house the inside and outside
are designed to work together. Sustainable
landscaping helps to maintain a healthy internal
and external environment. Vegetation can be
used to filter air from outside whilst indoor air
quality is improved by selection of appropriate
plants – some are able to take toxins like
formaldehyde out of the air. [See: 3.3 The
Healthy Home]
Vegetation can create buffers and filters for
wind and dust control.
Edwina Richardson
Edwina Robinson
A mix of native and exotic hardy plants replace lawn at this Canberra display home.

3. sustainable communities 34 2.4 SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES
restoration ecoloGY only healthy food but reduce your household’s
ecological footprint.
Particularly challenging sites occur where there
is little ecological value or pre-existing ecology In dry regions consider creating a small mini-
has been destroyed. In such cases a substantial oasis which can provide passive cooling to the
contribution to creating a sustainable landscape house. Locate this area on the cooler side of
can be made by restoring as much as possible the building which receives evening breezes.
of the original ecosystem and increasing Incorporate moisture loving plants, a water
the ecological value of the site. [See: 2.9 feature, permeable paving and water harvesting
Challenging Sites] methods in this space.
Such strategies are particularly pertinent to
urban sites where, very often, all the indigenous
MAINTENANCE
vegetation has been removed for development.
The movement to replace elements of original Sustainable landscapes have much smaller
living landscapes now extends to the public energy and water use impacts than traditional
realm. In choosing a site, consider the wider landscape designs but they still require
landscape and neighbourhood environment. management. Native gardens and the use of
Paul Downton
Paul Downton
[See: 2.2 Choosing a Site] hardy plants can create environments that
consume little water other than that provided
If you don’t have a large garden space or
by rainfall. Even then, there is no such thing
want to contribute to restoring the landscape
Look for a neighbourhood where sustainable as a maintenance-free landscape. Anything
landscape approaches are encouraged. as part of compensating for off-site impacts,
that has been artificially created for human
consider participating in native landscape and
purposes requires on-going maintenance and
ecosystem restoration projects run by not-for-
this should be factored into the overall picture
A new science of ‘biophilia’ profit organisations like Trees For Life in SA and
of any home design.
Men of the Trees in WA. Many tree planting and
(love of nature) is developing
revegetation programs are also intended to
from the recognition that
compensate for carbon emissions. [See: 1.4
vegetation and natural Carbon Neutral; 5.4 Biodiversity Off-site] ADDITIONAL reADINg
environments have a
Byrne, J (2006), The Green Gardener: sustainable
measurable impact on our gardening in your own backyard, Viking Press, New
psychological health. York.
Chadwick, D (1999), Australian Native Gardening
Made Easy, Little Hills Press, Adelaide.
enerGY Men of the Trees
www.menofthetrees.com.au
Appropriate landscaping can enhance passive
Mollison, B (1988), Permaculture – A Designers
heating and cooling. Used as an integral part Manual, Tagari, Sisters Creek, Tasmania.
of passive design strategies, windbreaks can
Edwina Richardson
Edwina Robinson
reduce wind chill or the impact of hot winds. Mollison, B (1991), Introduction to Permaculture,
Tagari, Sisters Creek, Tasmania.
Vegetation can cool and filter air as part of a
passive cooling strategy. [See: 4.2 Design for Sullivan, C (2002), Garden and Climate, McGraw-Hill,
Climate; 4.4 Shading; 4.6 Passive Cooling] New York.
This dry creek bed is composed of waste rock
Shading needs to be seasonal and is best excavated from a building site and obtained from a Sustainable Gardening Australia
provided by deciduous plants. Australia has few local landscape supplier. www.sgaonline.org.au
deciduous native trees (the Toona australis or Thompson, J and Sorvig K (2000), Sustainable
so called Red Cedar is one). Other ‘deciduous’ Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building
CLIMATE CHANGE Outdoors, Island Press, Washington DC.
natives such as Brachychiton lose their leaves
in summer and therefore can not moderate Consider the predicted changes for your region
Thompson, P (2002), Australian Planting Design,
solar penetration to suit passive design. It is and adapt your landscape accordingly. To cope Lothian Books, Port Melbourne, Victoria.
best to assume that most native vegetation with increased temperatures increase shade
protection to homes using trees, large shrubs Trees for Life
will give permanent or semi-permanent shade. www.treesforlife.org.au
[See: 2.5 Biodiversity On-site; 7.6 Outdoor to shade walls and climbers. Where space is
Water Use] limited use shade structures with climbers to Wolverton, B (1996), Ecofriendly House Plants – 50
reduce outdoor and building temperatures. indoor plants that purify the air in homes and offices,
Captured rainwater or treated wastewater Weidenfeld and Nicolson, UK.
Ensure the landscape has sufficient permeable
can be used to irrigate deciduous plants that surfaces to cope with increased rainfall events. Principal Author:
contribute directly to a building’s passive solar Capturing water in rainwater tanks and through Paul Downton
performance. greywater recycling will ensure water is available
Contributing Author:
to sustain plants during drought periods.
Edwina Robinson
Edwina Richardson
Organic vegetable gardens will provide not