Create a Conservation Landscape
Go native for a beautiful, biodiverse, beneficial landscape.
Conservation landscaping can help protect air and water, manage stormwater, conserve energy, and provide a more beautiful, healthier human environment. By using native plants and low-input designs, you’ll reduce water, pesticide and fertilizer use, and save time compared to maintaining a lawn.
Native plants are a vital element in your conservation landscape — they’ve adapted to the local climate, need little fertilizing, and are typically more drought-tolerant and pest-resistant than introduced varieties. Many are also important food and shelter sources for birds and beneficial insects including honeybees, ladybugs and butterflies.
View the RainScapes guide for conservation landscaping
RainScapes Rewards Rebates are available for residential propeties of up to $2500 and up to $10,000 for HOAs, multi-family properties, businesses and institutions.
City of Rockville residents are eligible for $1-2 per square foot up to 250 square feet in rebates for conservation landscaping. The Rockville RainScapes program is capped at $1200 per property.
I don’t know much about native plants or how to use them in my garden. Are there any design templates specific to this area?
Yes, we have several! Choose the ones that may work for you.
- Find landscape designs using native plants
- Download this template for a 200 square foot planting in a deer-resistant sunny site, specifically for Montgomery County.
- Download a list of butterfly friendly plants
How is Conservation Landscaping an alternative to turf?
A conservation landscape uses beneficial plants for greater landscape diversity than turf and typically results in improved runoff water quality. This is a type of low-input landscaping to reduce water, fertilizer, and pesticide use. Visit the Chesapeake Conservation Landscape Council to learn the 8 Essential Elements of Conservation Landscaping (scroll to the bottom 1/3 of the page).
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We need to plan for times with too much and too little water. Water coming from the roof should flow to a rain barrel and the overflow should go from one garden to another an finally end up in a large rain garden. People should grow their own food. A compost bin that sits above the ground is good for kitchen compost except meat and dairy. Collect the water when the shower before the shower heats up and put it in a trash can to use to water the garden.
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