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Front of Midori Haus after its transformation into a Passive House and sustainable landscaping makeover
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Compost and cardboard is laid over the grass to keep weeds out and water locked in!
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To sheet mulch the lawn that surrounded Midori Haus before its transformation, compost and cardboard is laid over the grass and moistened before mulch is placed over the top. The multiple layers all work to keep weeds at bay and moisture locked in.
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This rain cistern is filled by water caught on the roof of Midori Haus and features a flow meter, filtration system and pump, and post-treatment tap. The treated water is pumped into the house for nonpotable uses.
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This purple pipe and label indicates that the water running through it is nonpotable rain water. The water from this tap has been taken from the cistern and filtered through a pump and is the same water pumped into the house for nonpotable uses.
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When the rainwater in the cistern is used enough to lower the weight on the end of this city water line, potable city water fills the cistern enough to raise the weight back up and shut off the tap
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Front of Midori Haus before its transformation and before sheet mulching
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Back of Midori Haus before its transformation and before sheet mulching
Uses this feature once a week for 12 minutes
Greywater is redirected from the laundry into different areas of the garden, like the mulch basin around this tree. The mulch basin acts as a filter and allows the water to feed deeper towards the tree roots.
Arctostaphylos stanfordiana bakeri - "Louis Edmunds" Manzanita
Rain barrels collect water from the roof and redirect it into the creek bed where it is allowed to sink back into the landscape
Mimulus aurantiacus - sticky monkeyflower
The original front yard with turf and trees, before the hedges were in place and before the relandscaping
The front yard before, with turf and surrounding hedges
Rain garden doing the work of cleaning and infiltrating stormwater