Jerry talks about Sustainable Landscaping at our July eventLike a great campaign Apple did several years ago, Our guest speaker Jerry Provansal of Landscapes USA began his presentation asking us to "think different."

A great object lesson for this was Jerry's perspective of seeing value over function. For instance, he contrasted the manufacture of a plastic box engineered to protect a housewife from having to touch or see a mouse she wanted to trap and get out of her house. The contraption was slick, clean and almost antiseptic for $4.oo.

Annual Color vs more sustainable color. Value vs Function

Jerry's 50 cent solution was a traditional trap inside a small paper bag with a piece of cheese inside and a small hole cut out of one corner. Same result with a practical price tag.

Approaching landscaping as a sustainable venture, Jerry shared many similarly creative ways of giving builders and residential clients what they want, but adapting what they want to a sustainable application. For instance, a developer may want a lot of eye catching color at the entry. Jerry figures out how to deliver the color without overloading their water bill. Another example would be a client survey for a residential development finds all potential clients insist on having turf as part of the landscaping. Jerry finds ways to meet the growing family's need for a turf based play area and off sets the costs with drought resistant plant spaces around the densely trafficked turf area.

Succulents do reduce water usage, but they can be delicate and expensiveJerry talked about the value of deeply rooted plants such as rosemaryMore examples of deeply rooted plants

By now you're probably wishing you'd made it out and we agree. So make it to our August meeting which will be our first joint meeting with CleanTech OC and get to know CTOC's president Greg Trimarche as he presents on the legal aspects of sustainability or environmental law.