Make your garden a more environmentally friendly space

Go organic. Apply mulches on garden beds, use organic fertilizers as needed, and avoid toxic chemical pesticides.

Irrigate with drip. To conserve water, install drip irrigation.

Use permeable paving. Gravel, decomposed granite, and other porous materials allow water to be collected on-site.

Recycle materials. Look for recycled steel, wood, and other building materials at local salvage yards, or check out green building resources online. The cast-concrete bench shown here is ornamented with upended wine bottles.

Switch to electric. Avoid power tools that pollute the air; switch to an electric leaf blower, mower, and string trimmer. For small lawns, use a push-type reel mower.