garden

ideas for your garden

If you’ve got anywhere you can fit a water butt, then do so. A shed, sloping roof, greenhouse or conservatory can all provide plenty of water. You can get a water butt, made from recycled plastic, for about £30–40. You can also divert grey water from your bath or washing machine onto the garden, Kits available from local plumbers. Butts and diverters available from www.savewatersavemoney.co.uk or  DIY stores & garden centres.

You can cut down the amount of water you need by adding compost, peat free soil conditioner or the contents of used gro bags to your soil and digging it in. Using similar materials as a mulch (at least 3” thick) on top of damp soil conserves water. If you have nothing else, use multiple sheets of wetted newspaper weighed down with soil.

Go for recycled materials or those from sustainable sources and cultivate on an organic basis. Have a go at growing food. There is nothing better than home grown vegetables that have travelled only a few food-metres to reach your kitchen.

Gardens often need structures of some sort from a simple trellis to much more ambitious buildings. Make sure these are made of materials from sustainable sources. (FSC certified (Forest Stewardship Council).

Ironically gardening can be one of the most “ungreen” activities that we undertake. Gardens consisting mainly of hard landscaping with exotic plants liberally treated with synthetic fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides are highly damaging. CO2 is produced making the landscaping and the manufacture and use of the chemicals contributes to climate change and pollution. Their use can have a direct devastating effect on wildlife and they don’t do us any good either. Garden design and “fashion” can be fun but not when it encourages this approach.