"Landscaping"

Landscaping / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums

How to build a greenhouse in a cold climate

Can a greenhouse produce food all year in cold climates? Growing fruits and vegetables all year round in Canada or the colder parts of North America would be wonderful but, sadly, our climate limits us to a few growing months in the summer. And even that would be in the balmier areas of our country; at high altitudes a...

Permeable laneways and patios

Reducing emissions with CO² cured-concrete

A new cement block manufacturing process developed by an American company named Solidia Technologies® produces 40% fewer emissions during manufacturing than conventional concrete, resulting in a dramatically lower environmental footprint. Solidia’s concrete is formulated with less lime and is cured at lower temperature...

Landscaping

Avoiding invasive species when landscaping

...landscaping with native species: Having adapted to their environment (soil, climate, etc.), they do not require irrigation, chemical fertilizers or pesticides and grow easily in poor soil. They are also more resistant to diseases and pest attacks; Naturally pair with native wildlife (they provide shelter and cover for...

Natural swimming pools and ponds

Heating a swimming pool - top 10 cost-efficient & eco-friendly ways to heat a pool

How to save money on heating a pool Swimming in a warm pool is a wonderful feeling, and while we hear from many pool owners in the cooler states & provinces that they really enjoy the experience of a warm swim from late spring or early summer through to autumn, the cost of heating their pool can be a major downer, ...

Landscaping

Which are the best bee-friendly & eco-friendly alternatives to grass lawns in backyards?

...landscaping that reduces the need for supplemental water from irrigation. This often involves native plants which are hardy to the area, or drought-resistant flora from regions of low precipitation. Native perennial beds can replace a lawn providing local insect habitat & saving water Sustainable landscaping &...

Landscaping

Urban farming turns beautiful gardens into a grocery store!

...landscaping. Water is a quickly dwindling resource and Canadians and Americans are the highest per capita consumers of water in the world. So anything we can do to reduce water use for decorative purposes has to be a good thing. Rainwater recovery: For home durability, it's important that we properly manage the water c...

Decks, porches and gazebos

Building a deck? Our top tips to make your deck last longer

...landscaping a garden in cold climate zones and your home has a basement, is how to prevent spring thaw basement flooding - so be sure to carefully grade surfaces under decks and the deck itself away from your property to direct snow melt away from the home and basement. The best choices for building deck surfaces - wo...

Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums

7 key principles for an abundant greenhouse

Grow food in a greenhouse - the basics on how to get started As a native Californian transplanted into a much cooler climate (Western Quebec), I find myself mourning the loss of fresh local seasonal fruits and veggies all year long, which I understand is a first world problem on a few different levels. All that to say,...

Food production

Flow frames: How to make your own honey

How to make your own honey at home Can you imagine having honey on tap straight from your beehive? That is exactly what father and son team Stuart and Cedar Anderson aim to bring to market with an Indiegogo campaign they are launching later this month. Update: It launched yesterday! Don't miss out, one day into the c...

Lifestyle, location and commuting

Creating a farm and building a resilient lifestyle

As founder of the Resilient Design Institute, Alex Wilson is an internationally renowned authority on resilience in home design. Beyond just homes, 'resilience' can in a way describe a lifestyle, or perhaps a life philosophy. Sure, 'green' homes can help save the planet, but some of them may also save the individual. ...

Food production

Growing vegetables in the shade

If you're like me and you love to grow your own food but have limited access to all day sun, do not fret - a bountiful harvest is still well within your reach. Just like the gardeners that grow them, many vegetables will actually appreciate a little respite from the sun during the hottest months of the growing season. ...