Garden Smart

Clover

Clover is soft and spongy underfoot. Once established, it is drought-resistant and will stay green into the summer. If you choose not to mow, clover will naturally seed itself (although it may need reseeding every few years) and will attract helpful pollinators to your yard. Although shade-tolerant, clover grows best in sunny lawns.

Moss

Moss is a familiar sight throughout the Lower Mainland, making it a very natural lawn alternative. It grows best in compacted, acidic soil in shady conditions. True moss must be propagated from existing moss, either by positioning small clumps spaced apart in your lawn or by blending moss fragments in buttermilk and applying the mixture to your soil. Until it’s established, a moss lawn will require gentle raking and weeding to remove debris and competitive plants, as well as some watering during dry conditions.

Flower mixes

For those who love to attract pollinators, a flowering alternative lawn mix may be the best solution. Blended specifically for lawns (such as those found at West Coast Seeds), these perennial mixes are low-growing and have a long bloom period. Although they don’t hold up to foot traffic as well, they require less water and maintenance than a traditional lawn, along with the added benefit of increasing your yard’s biodiversity.

Food gardens

Perhaps the most productive way to make use of your lawn space is to transform it into a food garden. When creating garden beds, you can choose anywhere from one small garden patch to your entire lawn, and customization opportunities are endless.

While food gardens still require watering and maintenance, the benefits they provide for our pollinators and our palates are unmatched.

Rock garden

About as low maintenance as it gets, rock gardens can be a beautifully landscaped alternative to water and pesticide-needy lawns. 

If you’re looking to add some foliage to your rock garden, look for alpine, drought-resistant plants that thrive in rocky conditions and won’t require extra watering in hot summer months.

If you are looking to further reduce your impact on our water systems or grow a garden that can withstand a particularly hot summer, consider incorporating a rain garden or rain barrel in your yard.

Rain garden

We already live in a rain-heavy environment, so why not let the rain work for you?

Rain gardens use natural rainfall and redirected stormwater runoff as water sources, helping to redirect water into a gently-sloped, planted garden. Not only do they help with stormwater management, but they are also more efficient at water absorption, soaking up 30 per cent more water than a regular lawn.

Find more information on rain gardens at tol.ca/raingardens.

Rain harvesting with a rain barrel

Lawn and garden watering make up nearly 40 per cent of domestic water usage during peak summer months. Rain barrels are a simple solution to water restrictions: by connecting to the downspout of a house, homeowners can collect and store enough water throughout the year to save about 1,300 gallons of water each summer. By doing so, homeowners can reduce the demand for treated drinking water and ensure their garden has enough water even during the hottest months.

By harvesting rainwater, residents can lower their water bill (if metered), conserve their well water (if on private well), use water on their own schedules, improve their soil’s pH balance, reduce erosion, flooding and storm water run-off, as well as help protect rivers, streams, lakes and the environment.

Community gardens

Community gardens are an excellent way to grow food without needing any space at your home. There are community gardens all around the Township of Langley. Find a plot near you at tol.ca/gardens.

Balcony gardens

Want to start your own garden but don’t have a yard?

Balcony gardens are a compact and accessible way to grow your own food without needing much space. A few things to consider…

Does your strata allow growing plants on your balcony?

Some strata corporations have stricter rules than others about what is allowed in residents’ outdoor spaces. Check your building’s guidelines first before getting started.

Can your balcony take the added weight?

Large pots of soil and water can get pretty heavy. Ensure that your space is sturdy enough to support a small garden. Check your strata documents for any weight restrictions.

How will you be watering your plants?

The benefit of a balcony garden is easy access from your kitchen faucet. All you really need is a watering can or bucket to keep your plants thriving.

When gardening using containers, ensure proper drainage and adequate watering. Some choose to install drip irrigation or self-watering pots for even less maintenance. Whatever you choose, be sure that you have saucers under all your planters so your downstairs neighbours don’t get caught in the overflow.

How much sun does your space get?

Just like a backyard garden, the amount of sunlight your balcony gets will determine which plants you can count on to succeed. See the below table for some examples of container-friendly crops that do well in different sunlight conditions.

Whether your food is from a store or a garden, all food waste should make its way into the compost. In 2020, the average family in Metro Vancouver threw away 750 kg of organic material into the landfill. If composted instead, each family would have prevented enough greenhouse gas emissions to equal driving 1,200 km. Additionally, composting closes the food production loop, diverting would-be trash back to the soil that originally grew your food, be that your garden or a local farm.

Home composters

Looking to turn your food scraps into nutrient-rich soil for your own garden? You can either build your own composter or purchase one at the Township of Langley’s Civic Facility.

To get the most out of your backyard composter, follow these steps:

1. Line the bottom with lawn trimmings or straw.
2. Then add a mixture of green materials and brown materials to allow for air flow and a good mix of nutrients.
3. Every one-to-two weeks, mix the compost.
4. In three-to-nine months, you should have a rich, dark brown layer at the bottom of your bin that can be spread onto garden beds to keep them moist and nutrient-rich.

Green cart collection

Most organic materials can go into your green cart for municipal collection – an easy and low-maintenance way to ensure that your food scraps won’t end up in the landfill. See what is and isn’t accepted at tol.ca/greencart.

Don’t have Green Cart collection? Food scraps can be dropped off in 100L+ loads to any Metro Vancouver Recycling and Waste Centre (for example, the Langley Recycling and Waste Centre in Aldergrove or the North Surrey Recycling and Waste Centre in Port Kells).

When planning your garden, consider planting trees.

Not only do they provide habitat for a wide variety of wildlife, improving biodiversity, but they also help reduce the urban heat island effect. Urban heat islands happen when urban areas become much warmer than surrounding rural areas, usually caused by how the surfaces in those areas absorb and hold heat.

Tree species selections

Selecting a variety of tree types increases the biodiversity of your outdoor space. When choosing trees, take into account their maximum height and stay below 50 ft, as a small tree now could be a potential hazard to your home as it grows taller. Also, consider varieties that can withstand extreme weather such as floods, drought or heat. Some good options are stewardia, blue spruce and dwarf Hinoki cypress. For a list of suitable urban trees, visit tol.ca/raingardens.

Timing

Best planting times are mild winters to early spring and October to November, as long as the soil is moist and not frozen. Water several times per week at the root ball and the base of the tree trunk when first planted. You will know the tree has taken well to its new home when the leaves do not curl and remain nice and smooth and vibrant in color.

Pruning deciduous trees is best done in January/ February for basic structure. This is when more aggressive pruning can occur, as the tree is still dormant. Summer thinning is important too, to clear the tree from too many leaves in one area and allow for air flow.

Placement

Wondering where to plant your tree? Read the tags on your newly purchased tree. Does it require full sun or part shade? Assess your yard to see where the sun shines. This will dictate where to plant your tree. Keep in mind the root system of the tree, allow for at least three meters from a house foundation and from another tree or hedge.

Got fruit trees?

Langley Environmental Partners Society can help! The Langley Community Harvest Program is a “gleaning” program run by LEPS that aims to collect and redistribute fruit found on local backyard trees that otherwise goes unused. Every year, thousands of pounds of fresh produce that might have become a nuisance instead benefits families, seniors and other members of our community.

Residents of the Langley area who have a fruit tree on their property can join the registry. When the fruit is ripe, LEPS staff organize volunteers to harvest, and the fruit is shared between the tree donors, volunteers, and community organizations like local food banks.

The program also welcomes berry bushes, backyard vegetables or even commercial farms.

To register your fruit tree or volunteer to pick, contact agriculture@leps.bc.ca

Improving the variety of flora and fauna that call your yard home not only improves the hardiness and self-sufficiency of your garden, but also supports a healthy ecosystem in residential areas.

Attract beneficial insects

Predatory insects eat bugs that chew up your plants. Reserve five to 10 percent of your garden space for plants that attract beneficial insects. Try flowers such as asters, dill, mint, Queen Anne’s lace and sweet alyssum.

Pollinating insects are necessary to grow fruits and vegetables. In fact, one-third of our food depends on insect pollination. To attract pollinators, plant brightly-coloured or scented flowers such as bee balm, calendula, oregano and sunflower. Research shows gardens with 10 or more species of plants attract the most bees.

Handling invasive species

Non-native species are known to outcompete more beneficial, native plants when they go unchecked. Keep your space a productive habitat by cutting back or removing invasive plants like English and Irish ivies, English holly, yellow flag iris, cherry laurel and butterfly bush. When choosing plants for your garden, be sure to keep your foliage native – some garden centres still sell invasive plants!

Taking action on climate change can start in your own garden.

Taking climate action

Mitigating the effects of climate change can start in your own garden. More droughts in recent years means it’s even more important to consider how much water your garden requires. Habitat loss can be counteracted to some extent by planting native plants and encouraging biodiversity in your backyard. Handling food waste properly helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which continue to exacerbate climate change.

Planting for a changing climate

With changing weather patterns in the Lower Mainland, your garden may also need some adaptation to thrive. Consider planting heat- and drought-resistant plants that will survive long, hot summers with little precipitation (bonus: they will also require less watering). Consider plants like yarrow, coneflower, Oregon grape, sword fern and rosemary.

The Township of Langley encourages residents to consider alternatives to pesticides for their lawns and gardens and to reduce or eliminate pesticide use for cosmetic (non-essential or aesthetic) purposes. By reducing the use of cosmetic pesticides, we can all contribute to the long-term sustainability of our community.

Please take a look at our brochure, How to Grow a Chemical-Free Lawn and Garden, in the resources section at the bottom of the page to learn more.