Exteriors - Eco-Friendly Alternatives

Whatever amount of garden or outdoor space you have at your LEED, Passive House, ZNE or Green Home & however you hope to use it, we can help you turn it into a beautiful, functional & enjoyable space. We cover everything from alternatives to the traditional lawn, native plants, growing food on a balcony to choosing stormwater management systems, building a natural, chemical-free pool, solariums, durable deck building, natural pools, bee keeping and urban farming

Saving Energy in Swimming Pools and Hot Tubs - Our Top Tips to Save Money
Natural swimming pools and ponds

Top tips for energy efficient swimming pools - reduce pool cleaning & running costs

Swimming in your own home pool is a great way to stay fit, enjoy time with the family, and top up your vitamin D. But beyond the purchase price, what does it cost to run and clean swimming pools, and how can we best reduce energy costs. Energy efficient & Eco friendly swimming pools - are they even a thing?!  The…

Why you should Never put Coffee Grounds In the Garden
Exteriors

Why to NEVER put coffee grounds on plants or the garden...

When we were spring gardening and had azaleas to plant, we remembered reading that coffee grounds might help certain garden plants so thought we'd check it out. We all know that coffee has many a wonderful benefit, from that ever-so-necessary espresso first thing in the morning, to rubbing it on your skin for a bit…

The Pros & Cons of Lasagna Gardening for Growing Food
Food production

Lasagna Gardening: the pros & cons of a lasagna garden

A layered no-dig lasagna garden may be an easy way to convert a lawn into a food producing garden - but it's critics may say it's too easy - Ecohome investigates. As with any easy gardening technique, there is a lot to consider regarding lasagna gardening that specifically relates to its many benefits and ease of…

Lasagna Gardening - How to Build an Easy Vegetable Garden
Food production

Lasagna gardening - the easiest vegetable garden at home?

Lasagna gardening is one of the easiest ways to grow vegetables at home and turn a high-maintenance lawn into a productive garden space. What are the pros and cons of the lasagna garden? Do they work for clay soils. Lasagna gardening - what is it? The easiest way to turn a backyard lawn into an organic…

Growing Food Indoors, Vegetables for Homes & Apartments
Food production

Food & Greens can be grown easily indoors - here's how!

Growing food at home, even in an apartment, is easy for both adults & kids ; here is a beginner’s guide to growing tasty greens & vegetable sprouts indoors - just add some window space and let the harvest begin. A certain level of independence and a real sense of satisfaction can be gained from the growing hobby of…

Swimming Pool Heating - Save energy & money & be Eco-friendly as possible Tips
Natural swimming pools and ponds

Heating a Swimming Pool - Top 10 Cost-Efficient & Eco-friendly ways to heat a pool

Heating a Swimming Pool - Top 10 Tips for Cost-Efficient & Eco-friendly ways to heat a pool including planning & building a pool for energy efficiency. Happiness is a warm pool - but how to heat it? Swimming in a warm pool is a wonderful feeling, and while we hear from many pool owners in the cooler states &…

“The perfect lawn” comes with a very heavy environmental cost!
Landscaping

Which are the best bee-friendly & Eco-friendly alternatives to grass lawns in backyards?

Ground covers & succulent plants offer an Eco-friendly alternative to traditional high maintenance lawn, the bonus is, Bees love them too. Alternatives to grass lawns - ground covers!  North American backyards have one main point in common – Kentucky blue grass. But here we’re talking about ground covers and…

Urban farming
Landscaping

Urban Farming turns beautiful gardens into a grocery store!

Sustainable home landscaping has permeable surfaces, doesn't require a lot of watering, and ideally incorporates rainwater collection. Urban farming means you can eat what grows there, and that's even better. How to grow vegetables & fruits in a garden Plants survived long before humans were around to water them, so…

How to Build a Beautiful Cedar Deck that Last - Our Top Tips & Photos
Decks, porches and gazebos

Building a deck ? Our Top Tips to make your deck last longer

How to build decks with greater durability - permits, deck materials, railings, foundations & construction techniques for longer lasting decks including natural wood finishing oils & stains. Deck building tips for a durable deck construction: Meeting setbacks and getting building permits in Canada & US Raised Deck…

Greenhouse Construction for Cold Climates
Greenhouses and Sunrooms / Solariums

How to build a greenhouse in a cold climate

Three greenhouse owners share their construction methods and experiences for building greenhouses in cold climates where the benefits accumulate for food production. Growing Fruits and vegetables all year round in Canada or the colder parts of North America would be wonderful but, sadly, our climate limits us to a…

How to use dead leaves in the garden in fall? © Robert J Pierson
Food production

Is raking up dead leaves in fall a good or bad idea ?

A classic fall time activity - the habit of collecting fallen leaves has been called into question by many environmental experts. What are the advantages and disadvantages of raking up and disposing of dead leaves? Ecohome takes a closer look. Who hasn't played in a huge pile of fallen leaves, all raked up…