Steps to Being Green

I really wish I had taken a picture of the old, crumbling concrete steps before I had the crew I work with in garden design come and build something much more organic. My idea was to use truly local materials (almost everything is from within 2 miles) that both supports local businesses, reduces my carbon footprint by not using petroleum derived products, improves permeability of water to the earth, and creates a lovely natural, green path up to the house. This fall I transplanted some different types of local mosses that are now dormant within the cracks. I have also planted many bulbs in the surrounding flower beds that I look forward to seeing in the spring.

The stone steps bring back some charm to this old carriage house and beg for more perennials next year. Sometimes just taking the risk to do something very different upticks your real estate property quite a lot and makes your dwelling that much more memorable to others, especially with its sustainable approach to design. I love that the stone is sourced locally from Hopewell, literally just a stone's throw away!