Environmental and Economic

Many of the positive environmental gains expected of this garden can be tracked in reduced operational costs. For example, when compared to traditional lawn spaces or gravelscapes, native gardens have been shown to save as much as:

• 100 percent of the toxic chemical fertilizer budget
• 100 percent of the toxic chemical pesticide budget
• 100 percent of the annual flower budget
• 100 percent of soil amendment budget
• 81 percent of the time spent on maintenance
• 75 percent of the funds used for mower fuel
• 60–80 percent of the water previously needed
• 63 percent of fees associated with garden waste
• 15–50 percent of the energy dedicated to climate control

These cost savings can be substantial. FormLA Landscaping estimates that native landscapes like the Pinewood Legacy Garden save $3000/year or more per 1000 square feet, quickly recouping the costs associated with their design and installation.