Six ways to garden more sustainably
Gardening is a wonderful hobby, which can influence the wider environment. Can you become a greener gardener by giving some thought to where the stone and wood has come from and whether you can reduce your use of pesticides and your consumption of water in the garden?
- Choose peat free compost at the garden centre. Peat comes from peat bogs that are now a rare habitat in Britain. Peat bogs are a source of carbon dioxide and have a specialised and unique wildlife including carnivorous sundew plants and rare dragonflies.
- Cook on British charcoal when having a barbecue. By choosing charcoal from sustainable UK coppiced woodland you are actually helping to manage woodlands for wildlife. Over 90% of charcoal sold in the UK in 2007 came from imported sources, some of which is still from endangered forests that are not approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council.
- Buy wood from sustainable sources for garden furniture, sheds and playhouses. Look out for the FSC symbol to ensure that the wood has come from sustainably managed forests.
- Be water wise by installing a water butt to trap rainwater. You can also reduce the need to water your garden by using water retentive mulches and selecting drought tolerant plants.
- Grow plants from seed or swap cuttings with friends and neighbours. Not only is it cheaper and very satisfying to grow plants from seed but it can also save money when buying plants from garden centres. These are often imported plants which are sold in plastic pots.
- Think before you pave your front garden. Rainwater, instead of soaking into the ground, runs quickly down the drains from paved surfaces. This can contribute to flooding in urban areas. Why not consider using gravel and low maintenance shrubs instead?
