It’s easy to feel powerless in the fight to save the environment but there are lots of small changes we can make in our daily lives to have a smaller environmental impact. Our gardens are one thing we have that has a lot of ecological potential, and using them to create an ecological paradise for wildlife and lower our carbon footprint is a great start.
Here are 5 ways you can make your garden more eco-friendly:
Choose local materials
If you’re planning a landscape redesign or want to update your garden with a few new items, try and prioritise materials that are sourced locally. Searching for paving and bricks that haven’t travelled across the continent to get to you will reduce the carbon footprint of your garden. It’s also a great idea to shop at local businesses and see if any of your neighbours are selling plants that you can use to fill your garden with.
Conserve water
A lot of water is wasted while gardening so being conscious of how much you’re using will go a long way. When you regularly water plants you’re actually making them more dependent on the water you give them rather than forcing the roots to go down deeper and find moisture themselves. Giving them a good soak once a week should be enough to keep them happy. It’s also worth considering fitting a water butt to your guttering so that you can make use of every raindrop.
Use fewer chemicals
Using fewer chemicals or none at all will help improve your impact on the environment and they certainly aren’t necessary to create a thriving garden. You can rid greenfly with a splash of water, erect boxes to attract nesting birds to help with caterpillar control and use natural insecticide made from garlic, elder and rhubarb leaf. You can also use plastic sheeting weighed down to kill weeds.
Invest in a green roof
A great way to create a beautiful green space that blends well into the existing natural environment around your house, green roofs are becoming increasingly popular because they are great for increasing biodiversity, insulation and improving air quality. Make use of your garage, shed or summerhouse and create a natural habitat for flora and fauna.
Grow your own food
Growing and consuming your own food is a sure-fire way to reduce your carbon footprint. You can grow a whole range of fruits and vegetables to enjoy throughout the year. It cuts out the unnecessary hundred of miles of travel before it reaches your plate.
If you’re looking for environmentally friendly landscape design services, Lizard Landscape Design is a specialist consultancy of landscape architects and ecological consultants to commission ecological landscape design. Contact us today to find out more.