Conservation landscaping is good for the environment, makes the yard look nice and can save citizens money through a cost-sharing program of soil and water conservation districts around the state.
As lawn season remains in full gear, several Culpeper-area residents shared their experiences implementing landscaping practices through the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program, which pays up to 80% for eligible projects.
Bill and Joy Harnage, in 2020, used the program to install rain gardens and a permeable patio to beautify their property and address water collecting at the basement door. Richards Jacobs, urban program manager with Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation, came out for a site visit to get the process started. A plan was put in place and implemented.
“Our rain garden was created by digging a depressed area to collect rain runoff that was occurring on our property,” the Harnages said in an email to the Star-Exponent. “We redirected rainwater from the downspouts at the rear of our house to the rain garden.”
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Joy Harnage heard about using rain gardens while enrolled in a local master gardener program. The feature refers to a depressed area in the landscape that collects rainwater from a roof, driveway or street and allows it to soak into the ground, according to the EPA.
The Harnages selected native perennials, shrubs, flowers and grasses to fill their rain garden, an attractive way to reduce runoff from the property.
“The area has become a beautiful haven for bees, butterflies and birds.”
In addition, they removed a concrete slab by their back door and replaced it with a permeable paver patio, enhancing water absorption. VCAP covered around a third of the cost for the project.
“Conservation landscaping practices have solved the water problems around our home and supported environmental changes,” the couple said. “We encourage anyone in the Culpeper Soil and Water Conservation District area to explore their resources.”
Jacobs used the grant program himself to install permeable pavers to address runoff issues from a compacted gravel driveway contributing to rivulets in his front yard.
“The permeable pavers work by not only allowing runoff to seep between the pavers, but stores the runoff in an underground stone reservoir,” he said.
Jacobs did the work himself. The urban program manager said he might rethink that next time around, as hired hands would have made installation a lot easier.
In this case, VCAP may only fund 50% of costs for professional installation, he added.
“I am thankful for my wife’s patience and the kids help with moving stones and pavers.”
The permeable pavers provided more benefits than stormwater and erosion control, Jacobs said.
“The kids love to have a place to chalk and scooter,” he said, noting it’s often difficult for rural residents to provide this paved service for recreation.
He would not recommend the pavers for a long driveway, just near the house or garage.
“I’d say it’s a green solution for your driveaway that everyone can enjoy.”
Employing another green solution covered through VCAP cost-sharing, Culpeper County resident Lula Hasan installed a meadow in her yard to provide food and shelter for local pollinators, like honey bees, bumblebees, butterflies and hummingbirds. The meadow has also provided seeds and shelter for over-wintering birds, she said.
“I noticed more birds were staying around as I do not mow my meadow until early spring.”
Having a meadow means less grass to mow, reducing gasoline usage. Hasan said she enjoys watching the vegetation grow and the colorful blossoms.
“In my opinion, actively engaging with my meadow once a year (I don’t water it even during a dry spell) and getting the benefits should give people pause to their current practice of growing grass to cut it down frequently,” she said.
“That is a lot of work and expense just to see grass when you can have other benefits from your lawn.”
She added her neighbors helped her set up the meadow so it wasn’t very expensive.
Hasan also collects rainwater in used cisterns she had her brother install.
“I like to grow things — from vegetables to fruits and nuts. These require a lot of water for maximum growth.”
Watering from the faucet kept her plants alive, but it was not enough for maximum results, so Hasan decided to collect the rain in large containers.
Rainwater harvesting provides an independent water supply during regional water restrictions and, in developed countries, is often used to supplement the main supply, according to Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Districts. It provides water when there is a drought, can help mitigate flooding of low-lying areas and reduces demand on wells which may enable groundwater levels to be sustained.
Friends of the Rappahannock installed a rainwater cistern through the program in 2022 at the Carver Center in Culpeper, where many things grow year-round outside and in greenhouses. The water is used for irrigation by the Small Farm Outreach program, Master Gardeners and Piedmont Minority and Veteran Farmers.
Contact Culpeper SWCD at 540/825-8591 and see all the options for cost-sharing conservation landscaping through VCAP at There’s an estimated 20 different options for beautifying a lawn while boosting the environmental health of the region’s soil and water.
Allison Brophy Champion: 540/825-4315