Ecological design can be described as human intervention with the natural environment that is undertaken in a careful and deliberate way with the intention of improving or restoring natural conditions. The important part is putting ecology first in the planning process and not trying to fit a conventional square peg into a natural round hole. When you put ecology first you are forced to analyse all decisions in the planning and implementation of a project to ensure it meets the defined objective.

Green Roofs are included in the spectrum of ecological design and everyone is talking about them these days. Green Roofs are a relatively accessible practice as they don't radically alter the convention of the built environment. Structural reinforcement, roofing membranes, planting and maintenance are all components that can be solved with a willing owner and the addition of money. Some barriers have been provided by fears propogated by insurance companies not understanding how to include this "new" technology into their policies. This fear and misunderstanding reduces as more and more trailblazers take the plunge and plan Green Roofs into their new projects. As people work to reduce their energy consumption Green Roofs can provide a solution to moderate the temperature within a building: cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. These mederations are all good things that help to reduce negative impacts on our climate.

How do we bring these big ideas into the design of our own small landscape garden spaces at home in Vancouver?

The most important thing to do is to start planting, almost anything is better than nothing to encourage ecological diversity. Pick plants that will thrive in the available sunlight of the chosen area and avoid invasive species. Plant a wide range of plants that flower at different times of the year to attract wildlife. Mix edibles in with your ornamentals using heritage and open pollinated seeds from good suppliers.

Starting a new composting system or using your existing compost to mulch your newly planted garden is a really good next step. There are so many different composting systems out there to meet all your needs. Worm composters provide an option for apartment dwellers to recycle their kitchen scraps into food for the garden. Keeping your nutrient source part of your household gardening system is an important component of ecological design. If you have the space to put one, backyard compost bins are a more forgiving method of recycling your garden waste. I say forgiving because it only seems to slow the process (a lot) if you fail to perform your monthly stirring task not result in total compost failure. I just learned about the Green Cone yesterday which seems a truly radical approach to composting as you can add most of the things that are not allowed into regular composting systems as it operates with bacteria and solar energy. What you don't get from the green cone is compost for your garden so it is more of a waste elimination method to reduce your contributions to the landfill rather than building up your garden soil.

These are just a couple of ideas that the DIY gardener in Vancouver can undertake to start gardening ecologically. Once you open the door you are ready to step into a rich and diverse world filled with passionate people who care deeply about the environment and want to ensure humans develop a sustainable way to inhabit the earth.