•  Cooling: Eight average front lawns have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning. As overwatering is a much bigger problem than underwatering, automatic irrigation systems, where possible, should be considered for the most efficient watering rates.

•  Cleaning: Properly maintained shrubs, plants, and lawns are environmental heroes. Because of their filtering capability, plantings prevent soil erosion, filter contaminants from rainwater, and absorb dust and soot.

•  Saving Money: Planting shade trees lowers attic temperatures by as much as 40 degrees, and landscaping aids in reducing air conditioning costs by up to 50 percent.

•  Increasing Home Value: Not only can a well-maintained landscape add up to 15 percent to a property's value, but landscaping can speed the sale by as much as six weeks when selling a home.

•  Reducing Noise: Landscaping can reduce noise by up to 50 percent.

•  Healing: Horticulture is therapeutic and improves quality of life. Studies illustrate that hospital patients whose rooms overlook landscapes recover faster and require less pain medication than patients without a view of nature.

•  Increasing Air Quality: A tree removes carbon dioxide from the air and releases enough oxygen for a family of four to breathe for a day.