• "Sustainable" typically means not requiring outside inputs, but how does that apply to gardening?  Sustainable gardens are more the ideal than the reality because without humans to take care of them, they'd just revert to forest, at least here in the East. 

• So we minimize resource requirements (like watering and fertilizers).  We use "earth-friendly" practices like improving the soil. We're strictly organic or pretty close to it.  We love our native plants, but we also love healthy, sustainable plants from other places.

• For purposes of this site and the gardening style I teach, it's important to sustain the gardener, too.  Translation: low-maintenance gardening.  Or if you love to garden let's call it low-drudgery gardening, so that you spend time doing the things you enjoy.  Also, low-budget. This is real gardening for regular (not rich) people.

• But first and foremost, sustainable gardening is gardening.  While different factions in the green community argue over the details, sustainable gardeners are all about the joy of growing plants, healthy plants that also clean the air and filter water.  We love beautiful plants, we love interesting plants, and we love plants we can eat.

• If there's a cardinal rule of sustainable gardening it's this:  Right plant, right place.  Very pragmatic, very clogs-on-the-ground. Not much focus on theory, just on what works.

 

 

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