Zeroscaping or hardscaping is largely confused with Xeriscaping which itself has nothing to do with replacing urban greens with nothing but rocks. The widespread practice of replacing plant cover with rocks to eliminate the need of maintenance, is complete non-sense and does absolutely nothing positive to the ecosystem. If no outdoor maintenance is sought, why choose a house with outdoor space instead of a condo or apartment ?
The removal of plants in general reduces or eliminates pollination which is an important factor for food production. Bee populations are already on the decline not only by the impacts of herbicide or pesticide applications, but also because of habitat loss. Entire ecosystems are affected when plants are replaced by rock – no more insects, rodents or birds which are all important players in a healthy environment.
All living space, inside or outside – sooner or later, requires attention. Areas filled with nothing but rock are filled up over time with landed seed pods, moss and other plant debris that gets blown in.
While zeroscaping is a popular now here and there, it is becoming increasingly illegal in many other places of the world that don’t enjoy clean energy production.
Rocks are highly ineffective as a mulch. The purpose for mulch is to retain water, add add nutrients to the soil and to suppress weeds. Rocks conduct heat during daytime and emit heat during nighttime, thus inhibiting any form of natural cooling during seasons already hotter than normal due to climate change. Increased use of air conditioners leads to more air pollution from non-hydro power plants.
In little time, rock filled areas are overgrown with weeds that are hard or impossible to remove. During hot seasons, dried weed covered areas can turn into dangerous flammable surfaces which can ignite when ambers from nearby wildfires rain onto them.
Pea Gravel Instead of Crush or Rocks – Rocky materials used for mulch should be smaller than a half-inch in diameter for the benefits of water conservation and weed suppression. Pea gravel has been shown to improve water infiltration into the soil, especially after heavy down pours. Larger stone sizes do not function well as mulches. Read Mulching For Soil Improvement for more information.
Links: Google Play Store Mac App Store
NEED HELP
WITH YOUR PLANTING PROJECT ?
Schedule a Consultation
.