Advantages Of An Eco-Friendly, Sustainable Garden.
For those who love and appreciate a garden, we all know they represent a home for many different types of wonderful creatures and animals. However, certain garden designs are actually very unsustainable and damaging to the environment, regardless of how ‘green’ they appear to be. Pumps for ponds and garden lighting, for example, often use electricity unnecessarily, which increases your carbon footprint. A flower bed that requires fertilizers and pesticide will also contribute to air and water pollution
The Earth’s natural resources have been exploited for innumerable years, and climate change has become a prevalent topic within our society today. Global carbon emissions and unnecessary damage to the environment has created a new breed of consumer that is very aware of how our individual actions contribute towards climate change.
So, what’s involved in creating and designing an eco-friendly and sustainable garden? Well, for starters a lot more than just using some recycled compost! Sustainable gardens are created in a number of different ways. Using reclaimed materials, such as old railway sleepers, has a much lower impact on the environment compared to using new or modern materials, like non-biodegradable plastics. Introducing reclaimed materials can also add an authentic and rustic finish to your garden, which helps incorporate character to your outdoor space.
If you wanted to add a water feature to your garden, for example, why not use renewable energy to power it? Making the most of renewable energies will turn your garden into a carbon neutral development. However, it doesn’t stop there. If you’re growing new plants or shrubbery, it’s important to try and use homemade composts rather than man-made alternatives, as the production, of these chemicals, usually has a negative impact on the surrounding area where they’re manufactured.
Once you have created a sustainable garden, it’s important to maintain it as eco-friendly as possible. Instead of using water from a mains supply, you should feed your plants via a separate water duct that collects rain water, which is economical during the dry seasons. If you have a small lawn, using a manual grass cutter rather than an electric or petrol powered lawn mower will help reduce you carbon footprint furthermore.
Those with eco-friendly gardens say they feel an immense sense of pride knowing their gardens are collectively reducing carbon emissions and improving the environment. We have also found that conceiving these types of projects often inspires others to adapt their lifestyles to more ‘greener’ and sustainable activities. It may sound a little obvious or condescending, but the smallest changes to your garden and habits will have a significant effect on our susceptible environment.
About the author: The article was written by Helen Ellison, Garden Designer at Floral and Hardy. All of Floral and Hardy’s gardens are created by Helen, who has 18 years of experience creating hand drawn garden designs that are bespoke to each project.
You may also like:
- Greenwash Of The Week: Climate-Friendly Food Labels.
- The Village Of Blume: An Eco-Sustainable Community.
- Greenwash Of The Week: Forest & Wood Products Australia.
- Plant An Extra Row In Your Garden For The Needy In Your Community.
- Greenwash Of The Week: Sustainable Brands 2010.
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