BayScape Gardens Protect Soil and Water Resources
BLACKSBURG, Va., June 4, 2007 – BayScaping, a method for landscaping, is applicable not only in the areas around the Chesapeake Bay, but in most of the state, according to Virginia Cooperative Extension horticulturist Laurie Fox.
BayScaping, a term coined by the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, really means common sense landscaping, Fox said. She oversees the Native Plant BayScape Garden at Virginia Tech’s Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center (AREC) in Virginia Beach. “What we do in the landscape almost anywhere in the state eventually has an impact on the Chesapeake Bay,” said Fox.
The goal of the BayScapes program is to protect vital soil and water resources. This low-input landscape style emphasizes using plants that are beneficial to the environment and require less maintenance. Using less irrigation, mowing, fertilizer, and pesticide is good for the environment and the landscape budget.
BayScape principles can be incorporated into the entire landscape no matter what the location or overall design. First, plan for the long term. Choose the right plant for the area where it is to be located. Think about what the plant’s mature size will be and plant accordingly. Remember to consider soil, water, and light conditions.
Second, create diversity. For year-round interest and beauty use a variety of plants, including perennials, annuals, ground covers, trees, and shrubs. Plant diversity also helps minimize pest problems unlike within a monoculture where one insect or disease could affect everything.
Third, use beneficial plants. Include plants that will provide wildlife habitat and food, prevent erosion, and conserve energy. For example, use plants that provide shade in the summer to reduce home cooling costs.
Fourth, conserve water. Grouping plants with similar water requirements together can eliminate over watering and prevent runoff. Fox said this is especially helpful in areas that restrict irrigation of landscapes. Other ways to conserve water are by using a drip or trickle system rather than overhead sprinklers, using irrigation only long enough to get the landscaping established, and installing rain barrels.
Fifth, practice conservation landscaping. This means keeping and working with the natural features on a site like mature trees, slopes, creeks or streams, and rock outcroppings instead of changing or eliminating them.
Eight years ago, the City of Virginia Beach and Virginia Tech partnered and created a BayScape display and demonstration garden at the Hampton Roads AREC. Fox used the BayScaping principles with a native plant theme.
“Instead of just trying to visualize how big these plants get, how they perform, and how they look as they mature, people can come see and then make better decisions about utilizing them in landscapes,” Fox said.
For more information on BayScaping, visit the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. For more information about the native plant BayScape garden in Virginia Beach, visit www.vaes.vt.edu/hampton or call Laurie Fox at (757) 363-3807.
Contact: Laurie Fox
Virginia Cooperative Extension horticulturist
Hampton Roads Agriculture Research and Extension Center
(757) 363-3807
ljfox@vt.edu
Contact: Michael Sutphin
Writer
Communications and Marketing
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Tech
(540) 231-6975
msutphin@vt.edu
Writer: Susan Suddarth
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College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Virginia Tech