Sustainable gardens: how to make your own with 5 top tips by home experts
Having a garden is often one of the requirements that millions of American families look for when buying a house. Once this wish is granted, however, taking care of it is a priority, and taking care of it in an eco-friendly way should be the only way to go, as doing otherwise can be dangerous for you and, of course, the environment.
Expert Dave Malcolm from Shedplans.org shares his five top tips to improve your garden sustainably, showing how by making small changes your impact on the planet can be significant.
1. Choose eco materials and recycle
Creating a garden from scratch or reinventing the one you already have will require a large number of materials, not only soil, plants and seeds, but also concrete, wood and more construction materials, which all together will make the perfect space for you.
When choosing where to buy these products, always consider recycled materials, as well as eco-friendly and locally sourced ones. Using these products will not only reduce your carbon footprint, but also give a unique character to your space, making it really your own.
Consider using cob (clay and straw), oak, rammed earth, log walls, woven willow, chestnut paling timber and even straw bales.
2. Go peat-free
There are various reasons why you should eliminate or at least limit the use of pot compost containing peat, the most important one being its source. Peat is dug from peat bogs, a practice that irreparably damages delicate ecosystems, as it releases carbon. Moreover, it takes a very long time to form, which adds to its non-sustainability.
Instead, you could consider using homemade compost, as well as peat-free and reduced-peat composts which are today easy to find, affordable and give good results.
3. Install a green roof or solar panels
Eco roofs are today very popular, not only because they look insanely good, but also because of the impact they have on your garden’s ecosystem. In fact, they help increase biodiversity, provide good insulation, improve air quality and control water run-off.
However, if a green roof isn’t for you, you could invest in solar panels. They can be installed both on your home roof or on your shed’s, sourcing electricity directly from sunlight and saving a great deal on your bills.
4. Make your garden animal friendly
When deciding what to plant in your garden, you should do so considering the impact that your plants and flowers can have on your area’s wildlife. Creating a friendly ecosystem for animals such as hedgehogs, birds and, most importantly, bees is what you should be doing.
Bees are a fundamental part of nature and helping them doing their pollinating and life-creating job is essential. In order to easily do so, just leave some of your lawn to grow untamed until the end of summer and watch as native plants and wildflowers grow. These are resistant to pests, very easy to care for and attract bees like, well… pollen!
5. Grow your own food
This last tip is good for the environment, and for your wallet and health, as growing your own fruits and vegetables can save you hundreds of dollars a month, while being a great alternative to store bought products.
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Expert commentary provided by shedplans.org.
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Photo credit: iStockPhoto.com