The more you know about your regional environment, the more success you'll have growing your garden. Important factors to consider include soil type, climate and environment, what you want to get out of your garden, and how much time and effort you want to put into maintaining your garden. Little things, like how short you cut your grass, or choosing native species, can go a long way towards improving the health of your yard and the environment with no additional effort on your part. You can easily incorporate green gardening and living techniques in your garden and backyard to benefit both your family and the environment.