Eco friendly garden ideas
28 ways to an eco-friendly garden |
(Image credit: RHS Hyde Hall/ photograph Jason Ingram)
Creating a sustainable garden is now top of the wish list of many gardeners as they realize the importance of having backyards that are not only beautifully planted and well designed, but also work in partnership with wildlife and help to mitigate climate change.
Gardening in a sustainable way is also more economical as it involves using recycled materials, reducing the use of natural resources, and requires less maintenance. Anyone who has a garden, whatever its size, can take steps to transform their space into a sustainable garden buzzing with life.
So if you're looking for creative garden ideas, try some of these simple ways to make an eco friendly garden that’s both sustainable and a haven for wildlife.
Sustainable garden ideas
Having an eco friendly approach to gardening involves putting nature at the forefront of your gardening practices.
Below we have listed the easiest sustainable garden ideas you can adopt to make your back yard just that little bit greener.
1. Plant successional blooms
(Image credit: Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons / photograph Mark Lord)
'A little bit of good garden planning involves trying to ensure there are successional blooms throughout the year. Having different plants flowering at different times will keep a steady stream of crucial pollinators flocking to your garden, working their helpful magic throughout the seasons,' explains August Bernstein, tutor of the Raymond Blanc Gardening School at Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons , where they grow the delicious organic produce that is used in his renowned restaurant.
Collecting seeds is a costs effective way to keep your flower beds in bloom, by increasing the flowers from your own stock.
In the vegetable gardens and herb gardens at Le Manoir they ensure that there are beautiful flowers in bloom throughout the months of the year that helps to entice in pollinators as well as beneficial insects to keep pests away from the crops. But this approach equally applies to ornamental flower bed ideas, allowing nature to naturally top up and augment the supplies of beautiful blooms.
2. Use companion planting
(Image credit: Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons / photograph Paul Wilkinson )
'We use companion planting, such as planting tagetes around our tomatoes to deter the whitefly. Growing garlic and onions in-between our carrots to mask the smell of carrot and deter the carrot root fly is another example of this method,' explains August.
There are many different flowers and crops that can provide benefits when planted next to each other, so do your research and factor this in to your plans when deciding on your vegetable garden ideas. Not only will it reduce the need to use unnatural pest control measures, it will also help improve the health and yield of your vegetable and fruit crops.
3. Cover crops with protective nets
(Image credit: Le Manoir aux Quat/Saisons / photograph Paul Wilkinson)
To protect some of your treasured crops from caterpillars and other leaf munching wildlife, try covering them with nets.
'Instead of spraying brassicas, such as brussels sprouts and cabbages, we use a fine net to stop the butterflies laying their eggs on them.
It’s worth investing in a strong net so you can use it year after year,' explains August.
4. Keep an eye on the weather
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Work with the unpredictable weather patterns and climate change, and plant or sow crops and flowers according to what the weather is doing in any chosen year, rather than assuming you will always plant at the same times every year.
'We always have one eye on the weather. My top tip is to always check the last frost date in your particular area, as we all have different dates throughout the country. It’s all too easy to check on social media and see people planting out their tomatoes, for instance, and follow suit – but your area may have a completely different climate. I see so many disasters. so hold on to your courgettes, beans and squashes until you’re sure Jack Frost has made his final exit in your particular area,' advises August Bernstein.
5. Choose resilient varieties of plants
(Image credit: Le manoir aux Quat'Saisons / photograph Mark Lord)
Key to a sustainable garden is choosing the most resilient varieties of plants that can adapt to the weather and conditions.
They will then require less intervention and maintenance and help maintain the ecology in your garden.
'Within our Heritage Orchard at Le Manoir, we are looking into particular varieties that may have to replace others due to climate change. It is not just the mild winters and sharp frosts, but also the lack of warmth and cool nights in summer which we need for ripening the fruit. This process gives our apples a familiar sweetness which we are accustomed to. In the last couple of years with some of the apples not being as sweet as they should be. However, some varieties show strength and resilience; these heritage varieties may be our key to sustaining flavor within our orchard for future generations to come,' explains August Bernstein.
6. Improve soil health
(Image credit: Alamy)
Soil holds the key to creating a sustainable garden, trapping and storing carbon, and providing a home for the billions of microorganisms and tiny creatures that help to maintain the health of the planet.
Improving soil quality is also therefore among many wildlife garden ideas.
'Soil is made up in large part from carbon, which it traps beneath the surface but releases into the atmosphere when disturbed. To avoid this, only dig when planting,' advises garden designer Tom Massey .
Learn how to make compost and apply a thick layer of this organic matter, or leaf mulch over the soil, which worms and other creatures will take down into the ground. This will then improve the soil structure and deliver nutrients to plants’ roots.
'Using peat-free compost will also benefit the environment, since the bogs from which it’s extracted are highly efficient carbon sinks and support many rare species,' Tom adds.
'Keeping your soil healthy is absolutely vital to give your plants the nutrients they need to become strong and withstand our changing weather patterns. At Le Manoir we mulch our beds every year with compost, which helps retain moisture and adds food for the soil life to thrive.
In turn, the soil life makes nutrients available to feed our crops,' adds August Hudson.
7. Choose native plants
(Image credit: Polly Eltes / Future)
Look to include native plants to support insects and wildlife.
'If you choose the correct plants for the place, they will also require less feeding and watering,' advises garden designer Sarah Eberle .
A naturalistic planting design, using the right native plants in the right place, makes sense ecologically and financially as you won't need to replace plants that don't work. Using native plants, such as creating a wildflower patch, however small, will help and encourage a huge diversity of wildlife.
8. Leave the lawn to grow
(Image credit: Torsten Sukrow/SULUPRESS.DE/DPA/PA Images)
One of the important ways that gardeners can create a sustainable garden is to avoid pristine lawns and leave them to grow longer.
With water shortages and longer periods of droughts being a possible result of climate change, perfectly manicured lawns could become a thing of the past with a move towards eco-friendly gardens.
'Let a lawn go completely and allow the magic to happen – you’ll find native plants such as selfheal, Alchemilla, achilleas, ox-eye daisies and lots more just pop up,' says landscape designer Lulu Urquhart .
'Mow the lawn in late summer, leaving the stems in situ to shed their seeds before removing the clippings. In fall, we also add early spring bulbs such as crocuses, species tulips and fritillaries to embellish the lawn and boost pollen supplies the following spring,’ she adds.
Leaving the grass long also benefits wildlife. 'The tall grass provides a place for wildlife to take cover, create natural habitats and attracts beneficial insects into the garden,' explains August Bernstein.
Reduce your carbon footprint by swapping petrol for electric mowers to cut the lawn, or go one step further and leave the grass to grow. If you still want a green sward, try only cutting from June to September, allowing the grasses and spring flowers to bloom and feed pollinators.
9. Try permaculture gardening to improve eco-credentials
(Image credit: Mark Bolton / Future)
Adopt permaculture gardening as a daily approach to maintaining your outdoor patch. It is – ultimately – the best way to achieve a low-maintenance garden, and you may be doing much of it already.
This approach to achieving a sustainable garden includes using food waste for compost; allowing dead plants to become home-grown mulch; replacing harmful synthetic fertilizers with companion planting and natural deterrents; avoiding the use of one-off plastics, such as plastic pots by using recycled pots, biodegradable plant markers, and so on.
10. Plant a dry garden to save water
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
Planning a dry garden is a great eco friendly idea, whether you are reworking a border or redesigning an entire garden.
Dry gardens feature plants that are happy in dry, sunny conditions, such as those you would use if you're looking into how to plan a Mediterranean garden.
These feature everything from woody, fragrant herbs to olive trees and need little water to flourish.
They are also a good choice if you are considering sloping garden ideas as such plants can cope better with water run off.
For inspiration look to the dry garden at RHS Hyde Hall , which is a showcase of drought tolerant plants.
11. Plant nectar rich flowers to attract pollinators
(Image credit: Mark Bolton)
Planting many different species of native plants in your garden, with a focus on flowers rich in pollen and nectar, such as flowers that attract bees, will help to increase biodiversity. It will also help to reverse the falling numbers of bees, butterflies and moths, which are vital to the eco system and therefore all of us.
If you are looking for ways of how to attract butterflies, planting some flowers that they love is just one of the ways you can help in your sustainable garden.
A diverse mix of flowers and plants will make your garden an environmentally friendly safe haven for our buzzy friends and also help your garden to thrive.
The Butterfly Conservation charity advises supporting these beautiful insects by planting buddleia, Verbena bonariensis, marjoram and lavender in warm sheltered spots.
Garden designer Sue Townsend advises also night-scented plants to attract moths. 'Honeysuckle and jasmine will lure them in and the moths, in turn, will attract bats which feed on them,' she explains.
12. Use natural pest control
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
Avoid using pesticides as these are harmful to the garden’s natural inhabitants, but instead use organic growing methods.
A sustainable garden does not rely on chemicals but adopts a gentler approach through natural pest control. Add in companion planting when finalising when to plant vegetables, and sustainable fertilizer, including homemade compost and mulch.
13. Collect rainwater
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
Start put rainy weather to good use for your sustainable garden by purchasing a water butt or use a large container to collect the rainwater from your downpipes.
The water collected can then be used to care for your plants, conserving water but still giving your shrubbery the refreshing drink it needs after a sunny day.
While conserving water, try to avoid using the hose and sprinklers and invest in a trusty old watering can.
14. Feed the birds
A great way to attract more birds to your garden is to simply put out food – Monty Don's bird feeding tips will help you do this effectively. Hanging a bird feeder from a tree or scattering bird seed over the lawn will have your eco friendly garden filled with bird song in no time – but why not go one step further and create a bird feeder from scratch?
There are plenty of resources online that demonstrate ingenious ways to create a bird feeder at home, using recycled materials such as plastic bottles, glass jars or scrap wood. While you’re at it, you can get creative in the kitchen and bake some tasty bird treats to hang up in the garden.
'Also remember to provide food for birds with evergreen shrubs with berries, such as holly, cotoneaster and the guelder rose, Viburnum opulus, to feed them through fall and winter,' ads Sue Townsend.
Remember, feeding birds in winter is vital to them returning year-on-year.
15. Grow your own vegetables
(Image credit: Allan Pollok-Morris)
Reducing food miles by growing your own vegetables and fruit is fun and easy to do.
'All you need for a small vegetable garden is a small area in a sunny spot. Edible plants can be as pretty as ornamentals and they’re brilliantly satisfying. Try easy crops such as kale and pak choi as vegetable garden container ideas, and squashes, courgettes, perpetual spinach, chard and runner beans in the ground,' says garden designer Ann-Marie Powell .
'I feed mine with seaweed fertilizer and use nematodes to keep the bugs at bay,' she adds.
You can also lower your food miles even further and add to your eco friendly garden credentials by buying seeds from companies that harvest seeds from crops grown organically.
Planning a kitchen garden is a fun and rewarding thing to do, but it will also cut down your CO2 emissions and packaging wastage.
Homegrown vegetables are often more nutrient-rich and pesticide-free. You can also maximize the space available with vegetable garden trellis ideas.
16. Plant more trees
(Image credit: Mtreasure / Getty Images)
As part of your sustainable garden plans, definitely one to include is planting more trees. Trees benefit the planet while adding color and structure to your garden.
Select a mix of species that are right for the conditions in your back or front yard. Even if you have a small backyard, there are plenty of trees for small gardens and trees can also provide varied color and interest through the seasons if you choose trees for autumn color or evergreen trees.
'Every tree planted is a credit to the environment, absorbing carbon dioxide from the air and releasing the oxygen we need to breathe. Living trees also store carbon in their trunks, branches and leaves, preventing it from escaping into the atmosphere,' explains Mike Glover, MD of Barcham Trees .
Some trees are better than others, and large trees that live for a long time offer the biggest benefits to the planet, so consider these points when choosing one for your garden, although any tree is a goo choice.
'For a medium-sized garden, my personal favourites, all of which have good eco-impact ratings, include the beautiful maple, Acer platanoides ‘Princeton Gold’, with its early yellow leaves that darken to green in summer; the gleaming white-stemmed Himalayan birch, Betula utilis jacquemontii; Malus ‘Rudolph’, a disease-resistant crab with bright pink blossom and pretty fall fruits; and the ornamental pear Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’, which has stunning fall colors,' Mike adds.
To ensure that your chosen trees thrive, make sure you know how to plant bare root trees or evergreens to get them off to a good start.
17. Filter pollution with plants and trees
(Image credit: Alamy / Avalon.Red)
Some plants can help to protect us from the harmful effects of tiny pollution particles emitted from vehicle exhausts, which can increase the risk of diseases such as cancer.
Research by the Royal Horticultural Society shows that shrubs with hairy, scaly, waxy or rough leaves trap these pollutants, making these ideal plant choices for gardens next to busy roads.
The evergreen shrub Cotoneaster franchetii was found to be most effective, while yew, holly, hornbeam and hawthorn also worked well.
'We have an ‘eco-impact rating’ for each of our trees, which tells customers how much pollution filtration, carbon sequestration and carbon storage they will achieve over their lifespan,' says Mike Glover.
One of the best is hornbeam (Carpinus betulus), also one of the best trees for privacy and screening in a backyard, and most oaks, to the lowest E rating – the stag’s horn sumach, Rhus typhina and Persian silk tree, Albizia julibrissin, fall into this group.
'However, all trees have a positive impact on the environment so planting any tree is better than not planting one at all,’ adds Mike
18. Plant hedges for boundaries
(Image credit: Getty Images/ Clive Nichols)
Hedges are good for the environment by absorbing pollution but also provide shelter and food for wildlife.
'Plant a yew hedge along a boundary to create a head-height barrier, with pleached hornbeams above that. The clipped hornbeams look wonderfully architectural in summer and winter, when the leaves turn bronze, especially against the dark veil of the yew,' explains garden designer Harry Holding .
You can use mixed fast growing hedges in rural areas and more dense, evergreen hedging for urban gardens.
19. Upcycle garden furniture
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
From containers to tools and furniture, get creative and reimagine discarded items into useful objects in the garden or veg plot.
It can be tempting to buy the newest outdoor furniture when hot days roll around, however, there are plenty of great items at your disposal already – they might just need a little love and attention.
Head to your local hardware store and buy some sandpaper and paint, give that tired old garden bench a rub down and a fresh lick of paint, and it’ll feel brand new in no time.
Alternatively, take a spin around the local charity shops to see if there is any furniture you can repurpose, such as wooden chairs or tin baths for the birds. This is a great way to donate to a good cause while giving pre-loved items a new home.
20. Create animal shelters
(Image credit: Leigh Clapp)
If you create a sustainable garden then soon it should be visited by a host of wildlife looking to explore, feed and possibly take shelter.
'Untidy areas of the garden are a sanctuary for wildlife, which I’m sure will be music to every gardener’s ears! At Le Manoir, we leave log piles for wildlife to use as a home. We also have insect hotels within our Heritage Garden, creating a space for them to hide out until Mother Nature gives the wake up call to come and get busy in the garden,' explains August Bernstein, tutor at the Raymond Blanc Gardening School.
Install shelters for different animals and insects – you can easily learn how to build a bug hotel, or you can add bee and butterfly houses or hedgehog houses to your garden.
There is an abundance of ideas to help in rewilding your garden and making wildlife feel more comfortable.
Be sure to position shelters for nocturnal or more timid animals, such as hedgehogs, in a quiet, secluded spot in the garden, somewhere out of the wind and direct sunlight to create a relaxing, restful environment.
21. Make your own compost
Food waste bins are becoming increasingly common, but don’t simply leave your food waste for the garbage collectors. Over time, food waste breaks down to form a wonderful compost that will do wonders for your garden plants. An easy and speedy way to turn kitchen waste into nutritious plant food is by learning how to use a wormery for compost.
Use all the decomposable left-overs from your meals to feed the plants and flowers in your garden – from peas and beans and to egg shells and banana skins, these unwanted scraps are the elixir of life for your garden.
More natural than shop-bought compost and a great way of reducing landfill waste, making your own compost is an easy way to save the environment whilst saving money on the upkeep of your garden.
22. Add a water feature
(Image credit: Annaick Guitteny)
If you have the space, water feature ideas are not only an attraction for humans to enjoy, they are also a treat for many amphibious creatures and insects in search of somewhere wet to put down roots.
'In the Heritage Garden at Le Manoir, we have sunken barrels creating a pond to entice toads, birds and our prickly friends the hedgehogs into our garden. These little friends feast upon slugs and help you combat the frequent attacks gardeners face,' explains August.
Garden pond ideas provide a source of water for many thirsty birds and mammals, which is especially beneficial during the warmer summer months.
Just remember, if you’re hoping to introduce fish to your garden, you’ll need to ensure your pond is deep enough for them to thrive and bear in mind that shallow ponds freeze over in winter. Also design a pond so that there's a safe exit for any animals that fall in to exit from.
There are many useful guides available if you're wondering how to build a pond,
23.
Create natural flood defences(Image credit: Peter Chatterton)
As water gushes from a garden into the storm drains in the street, it picks up pollutants, such as fertilizers, oil, and animal faeces, which can then go on to contaminate rivers and oceans.
However, plants can help to mitigate this problem. 'The leafy canopies of trees and plants trap rain and reduce the flow, while their roots below ground soak up stormwater and filter out pollutants. Where the flood risk is more severe, I’d consider installing shallow ditches, known as ‘bioswales’, that collect stormwater, allowing it to percolate into the soil rather than flowing into drains. The ditches also offer an array of different planting habitats,' explains Harry Holding.
Permeable surfaces for garden path ideas and other garden landscaping will also allow rainwater to soak into the ground rather than contribute to flooding.
24. Adapt and replace
(Image credit: Dan Pearson Studio)
‘I shy away from plants more susceptible to pests and diseases, which are becoming more prevalent with the climate conditions,' explains award-winning garden designer Dan Pearson , who has created a guide to naturalistic garden design for Create Academy .
‘Informality is a useful tool and is here to stay as our gardens become more prone to weather extremes. Someone with a greenfinger is one who responds to change, and informality in garden style allows us to adapt and change,’ Dan adds.
25. Future proof your planting
(Image credit: Beth Chatto's Garden and Nursery)
‘Get the basics right when planning your garden to future proof from extremes. Ensure your plant choices can tolerate the soil in your garden and improve drainage and soil structure with grit and mulch. Watering correctly when planting can make all the difference to how robust your plants are,’ explains says garden designer and co-founder of Soto Gardens , Will Williams.
‘We put a lot of effort into preparing soils before we plant. Whether its poor gravelly soil or wet soil. Dig deeply and add organic matter. Just digging and loosening up gives the plants a good start and that's the only chance you have sometimes to help a plant.
It is as important as choosing the correct plants,’ says David Ward, garden and nursery director at the internationally renowned Beth Chatto’s Garden and Nursery .
26. Look at what grows locally
(Image credit: Dan Pearson Design)
When assessing your garden’s conditions, look at what grows locally and what does well, and also choose plants or shrubs for shade or sun loving plants as appropriate.
'That is a straightforward and easy way of assessing what might grow well in your own garden. You can look at the locale as well as the immediate vicinity. For instance, if birch grows well in the area you know there are acid soil conditions, or if it’s clear it is more alkaline look to plants that thrive well in that type of soil. The most important thing is not to fight the elements,' explains Dan Pearson.
Beth Chatto was the pioneer of right plant, right place. 'For her it was just common sense that you planted plants in conditions that they wanted, and if you forced them, you were fighting against nature, which wasn’t the way to go.
So find plants suited to the conditions,' add David Ward.
27. Don't cut down
(Image credit: Alamy images)
Trends have changed, and the movement in gardening is towards more wildlife friendly ways of gardening, which can also have the benefit of being low maintenance garden border ideas
'We’re not so quick to cut plants down in winter and instead leave seed heads up as food sources for wildlife,' says David ward.
'The strict formal gardening and traditional ways of gardening have moved over to a "looser" way of gardening. It’s about finding a balance. Not a lowering of standards, just a different way of doing things,' he adds.
'Don’t be too quick to cut plants down, or if you do, then leave the prunings in a little corner for wildlife.'
28. Focus on foliage, form and texture
(Image credit: Beth Chatto's Garden and Nursery)
It's not all about flowers. Foliage, form and texture are important to create a longer season of interest for a more sustainable garden.
'Flowers are ephemeral, whereas foliage has a longer season of interest, particularly in shade. Shade loving plants naturally flower in spring to take advantage of light and moisture earlier in year, and then as the overhead canopy comes on you are back to foliage,’ explains David Ward.
What is a sustainable garden?
A sustainable garden is one that gives back rather than takes from its surroundings. Planted with nectar rich native plants and other eco friendly garden ideas means it will be more self-sustaining, requiring little energy or water to make it grow healthily – and certainly no chemicals.
Instead, it should rely on local and natural ways to flourish – from self-grown mulches to home-made composts. An eco-friendly garden should benefit local wildlife, too, providing food and shelter for everything from small animals to essential pollinators.
What is sustainable planting?
Sustainable planting includes using native plants and right plant, right place so that they need less maintenance because they are happy where they are positioned.
Add more shrubs with multi-seasonal interest, self-seeding annuals, and perennials that come back every year – learn how to divide plants to keep them healthy and increase their numbers.
Aim for a diversity of native plant species that are also tough and can cope with the vagaries of climate change.
How can I make my garden sustainable?
To make your garden sustainable then adopt some of the recommended gardening practices and measures as listed above.
'Organic gardening is all about working hand in hand with nature. At Le Manoir we work hard to build a relationship with bugs and encourage wildlife to help us in the garden. Treat all creatures with respect as they all have a place and a role to play within your garden,' explains August Bernstein.
Rachel is senior content editor, and writes and commissions gardening content for homesandgardens.com, Homes & Gardens magazine, and its sister titles Period Living Magazine and Country Homes & Interiors.
She has written for lifestyle magazines for many years, with a particular focus on gardening, historic houses and arts and crafts, but started out her journalism career in BBC radio, where she enjoyed reporting on and writing programme scripts for all manner of stories. Rachel then moved into regional lifestyle magazines, where the topics she wrote about, and people she interviewed, were as varied and eclectic as they were on radio. Always harboring a passion for homes and gardens, she jumped at the opportunity to work on The English Home and The English Garden magazines for a number of years, before joining the Period Living team, then the wider Homes & Gardens team, specializing in gardens.
How to create an eco-friendly garden: 15 ways to go green
(Image credit: Future / Joe Wainwright)
Learning how to create an eco-friendly garden is easier than you might think – just a few simple changes can make a big difference to your garden's impact on the environment. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the huge environmental problems threatening our planet at the moment and you could be forgiven for wondering how anything you do in your own garden could possibly make a difference.
But if all the gardens in the UK were put together, they would cover an area bigger than the Lake District and the Peak District combined – so the overall impact of each of us making just a few small changes has the potential to be really significant. And best of all, creating a garden that’s more pollinator- and wildlife-friendly, that uses fewer natural resources – including water and peat – and that doesn’t pollute the environment really isn’t that difficult. Read on for how to achieve it, then make sure you check out our guide to sustainable gardens for more advice on how to transform your garden in an eco-friendly way.
GREEN HOMES MONTH
To celebrate Earth Day, we've put together our Green Homes Month . You'll find inspiring ideas, practical advice and expert tips on easy ways to make your outdoor space more eco friendly to help you do your bit for the environment.
1. Plant for pollinators
(Image credit: The Grass People)
The recent decline in the number of bees and other pollinating insects could have serious consequences for us all because so many food crops depend on them.
So one of the easiest tips for how to create an eco-friendly garden is to choose plenty of bee-friendly plants, and including a variety of different flower shapes to suit different feeding habits – some bees have very long tongues and love the tubular flowers of foxgloves, whereas other pollinators prefer the open flowers of echinacea and buddleia, for example. Avoid ‘double’ flowers with layered petals – these sometimes have no nectar or pollen at all but even when they do, the extra petals make it difficult for pollinators to access them.
As beneficial insects love wildflowers, you could even plant a mini meadow in a sunny part of your garden. Try the lovely Bee and Pollinators wildflower seed mix from The Grass People which has good balance of annuals, perennials and grasses.
2. Give wildlife a home
(Image credit: Jacksons Fencing)
A perfectly manicured garden is very unwelcoming to wildlife so consider allowing at least a small section of yours to become a little overgrown – leave a patch of nettles in a hidden corner, and don’t clear up all the wood after you’ve pruned a tree, for example.
Put up bird and bat boxes, and follow our guide on how to make a bug hotel – this can be as simple as lengths of hollow garden canes tied together, making the perfect home for a number of different bee species.
There are some lovely hedgehog homes on the market now but if your garden perimeter has fences, the hogs won’t be able to get in. Make a small 15 x 15cm hole in the base of one fence panel if you can and encourage your neighbors to do the same, to make hedgehogs’ nocturnal journeys easier.
A hedge is far more wildlife friendly in general than either garden fence ideas or a wall, offering nesting sites for birds and protection from predators to all sorts of small mammals. But if a fence or wall is the only option, clothe it with climbers – ivy, for example, is a rich source of nectar in autumn and winter when there’s little food around.
Another great top on how to create an eco-friendly garden is to encourage wildlife by building a small pond – in fact, even just water in a large pot or half barrel will yield results.
Within hours, you will find beneficial insects and birds drinking from the water, and frogs, toads and even newts are likely to soon follow. There's tips on how to build a garden pond in our guide.
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3. Conserve water
(Image credit: Gardenia)
We use a lot of water in our gardens, but much of it is wasted. Very few shrubs and perennials in the border need extra water once they’re established, but for those that are newly planted or that do tend to dry out in hot weather, be sure to water the roots and not the foliage.
Check out guide to the best garden hose for our top picks.
If you're serious about how to create an eco-friendly garden, rather than watering little and often, which encourages roots to stay near the surface where they will dry out more quickly, water very thoroughly once a week. This forces the roots to go down deeper and find moisture for themselves. One watering can per plant per week should be enough – if you’re using a hose, count how many seconds it takes to fill a can and replicate that for each plant. Applying a thick mulch of organic matter around the base of plants in spring will go along way to help lock in moisture too.
Plants in pots will need more regular watering, although water-retaining granules that you sprinkle into the potting compost will help keep it moist for longer. The best solution is an automated watering system that ensures all plants – in pots, in borders and in the greenhouse – get water only when they need it. Gardena’s Micro Drip System range uses driplines that work a bit like an underfloor heating system in combination with soil moisture or rain sensors, and they can cut water usage by up to 70%.
All you have to do is enter the commands on the Gardena app and the system will do the rest.
One of the biggest water-wasting culprits in the garden is the lawn sprinkler. Instead, follow our tips on how to mow a lawn – have the blades set higher in hot weather as this will stop the soil drying out so quickly and keep the grass greener for longer, meaning watering is not necessary.
When it rains, make sure you save every last drop by fitting a water butt on every downpipe. You don’t have to stick with the usual boring green version, as there are some very attractive designs around now, and many of them double up as planters too.
If you have the space, you could even consider an underground rain tank. Larger ones can easily collect enough water for the average garden, and you can use them water to flush your WC too.
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4. Go peat free
(Image credit: Future)
Peat has been a major component of potting compost for decades, but extracting it can destroy unique ecosystems that take centuries to form, causing irreparable damage to natural habitats, and as it forms very slowly, it isn’t sustainable. But there are now several good peat-free and reduced-peat composts for potting available. Miracle-Gro’s Premium Peat Free All Purpose Compost contains coir, an organic component that provides a good PH balance, and it also incorporates a smart-release fertiliser that will keep plants fed for up to three months.
In many areas of the UK, compost is now being produced from local waste and sold back to residents. In Yorkshire, Yorganics Compost uses household waste that’s processed, shredded, broken down and rolled several times, producing enough heat to make it weed-free. It’s suitable for use on fruit trees and bushes, vegetable plots, flowers, trees and shrubs, hanging baskets and growing plants from seed and it makes a good lawn feed and dressing too.
To give plants an extra nutrient boost, it can be mixed with well-rotted manure. It comes in single 40 litre bags (£5), or in an 800kg dumpy bag , £90, and is available at many local outlets or from logsdirect.co.uk . Look out for similar schemes in your own neighborhood.
5. Plant a tree
(Image credit: James Merrell)
According to recent research, gardens with trees are more attractive to wildlife than those without them, so adding some to your space is key if you want to learn how to create an eco friendly garden.
Even in the tiniest garden, there’s usually room to squeeze in a small tree - try a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum), a crab apple such as the upright ‘Golden Hornet’, or the diminutive Magnolia stellata, for example. Some experts are predicting that in 30 years’ time the UK could have the same climate as the south of France. If that’s the case, a tree with a dense leaf canopy will be invaluable for providing shade, reducing the need for watering.
Discover the best trees for small gardens in our guide.
6. Recycle and re-use
(Image credit: Primeur)
Plastic pots are one of the biggest issues if you're following advice on how to create an eco-friendly garden. Many plastic pots, especially the ubiquitous black ones, can't be recycled and end up as landfill. Some garden centers now offer a recycling service for plastic pots, but re-use any that you already have as many times as possible, for sowing seeds and growing on seedlings. When you’re buying new plants, seek out one of the growing number of nurseries that will tip plants out of their plastic pots and wrap them in recycled paper for you to take home.
Instead of buying new pots for seed-sowing, use old egg boxes and the cardboard inner tube of loo rolls – they work brilliantly for this and will biodegrade if you plant them straight into the soil once the plants are big enough to go out.
If you’re buying new equipment and accessories, opt for those made using recycled materials. Primeur’s ECO Garden range of stepping stones, borders, decking tiles and pots, for example, uses recycled rubber tyres. Apart from the fact that the tyres would otherwise take upwards of 80 years to decompose in landfill sites, the joy of using recycled rubber is that it’s non-slip, doesn’t crack or fade in hot weather, and is also lightweight. Of course you don’t always have to buy new – a rummage around reclamation yards is a fun way of finding pre-loved garden accessories that you’re unlikely to see elsewhere.
Paving made from recycled concrete aggregate is now widely available too, and this can be a good option for your eco landscaping ideas.
7. Grow your own food
(Image credit: Getty)
If you want to reduce your environmental impact as well as cutting your supermarket bills, why not turn part of your garden into a veg patch and start growing your own fruit and vegetables?
Supermarket produce has often spent days traveling hundreds of miles before it reaches the shelves, but nothing beats the taste of peas and beans cooked within minutes of being picked, and a homegrown tomato, still warm from the sun, is a revelation – plus, there are no food miles involved. Include a native cherry or apple tree in your grow-your-own plans, if space allows.
We've got guides on everything from how to grow tomatoes to how to grow beetroot in our Grow Your Own hub.
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8. Make your own compost
(Image credit: Dobbies)
There’s something incredibly satisfying about making your own compost from grass clippings and veg peelings that would otherwise go to waste, and it’s straightforward to do. You can buy special bins that keep it all neat and tidy, but all you really need when thinking of how to create an eco friendly garden is a corner of the garden that's out of the way but not too shady.
As for how to compost, add your grass clippings, plus pile in all your veg peelings, prunings, hedge trimmings, shredded newspaper and cardboard – even the contents of the vacuum cleaner bag. You can compost autumn leaves too, but keep them separate as they decompose more slowly.
Then wait for the magic to happen, turning the compost pile occasionally with a fork. In six months to a year you should have a lovely, crumbly, friable mixture that’s ready to use for mulching, keeping moisture in the soil and improving its texture, reducing the need for watering and improving the health of plants.
If you want to speed things up, why not invest in an Aerobin Hot Composter ? It harnesses the natural process of aerobic (or hot) composting, and the work is done by healthy decomposer micro-organisms. These need food (carbon & nitrogen), air and water and when they have these in the correct balance, compost is produced very quickly – within 12 weeks, in ideal conditions. There's more tips on this method in our guide to hot composting.
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9. Go organic
(Image credit: MiracleGro)
By choosing organic products to feed and treat your plants, you'll be reducing the chance of inadvertently harming beneficial insects and you won’t be adding unnecessary chemicals to your soil either.
There are now organic versions of everything from slug controls to fertilizer and soil conditioner.
Give an extra boost to fruit and veg crops with a liquid feed such as MiracleGro Performance Organics Fruit & Veg Liquid Concentrate Food that comes in a 100% recycled and recyclable bottle.
10: Use local materials
(Image credit: Malcolm Menzies © Future)
When it comes to combining how to create an eco friendly garden and making the right landscaping choices, buying paving and bricks that haven’t travelled hundreds or even thousands of miles to get to your plot will help reduce your garden’s carbon footprint considerably – and support nearby businesses too.
What’s more, as well as being environmentally friendly, local materials also sit better in the landscape than if they’re brought in from elsewhere so your revamped garden will look more natural and established from the start.
When you’re buying timber products and decking in the UK, look for a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) logo – that way, you can be sure the wood originates from certified plantations.
There's more inspiration for your plot in our landscaping ideas.
11. Go native
(Image credit: Thompson & Morgan)
One of the best ways for how to create an eco-friendly garden is to include native plants in your borders and attract wildlife to your space. They are usually easy to grow and look after, and tend to be more resistant to pests and diseases than non-native varieties. Do a little research online before buying plants from nurseries and garden centers to see which originate from your region or country.
12. Green up your walls
(Image credit: David Austin Roses)
Training the best climbing plants up the walls of your house doesn’t only look good, they also trap air, helping to insulate your home and potentially reduce your heating costs. This can be especially useful in older properties that are hard to insulate, and on the colder north side of properties.
Conversely, climbers on a south-facing house wall will deflect heat from the sun and can even help to reduce the urban heat island effect in towns and cities.
Use climbers such as wisteria, or slower-growing wall shrubs – orange-, red- or yellow-berried pyracantha can look stunning.
Head to our guide on how to create a living wall for more ideas on vertical gardening.
13. Ditch the chemicals
(Image credit: Future / Joe Wainwright)
Many gardeners are now choosing not to use chemical insecticides and pesticides in the garden when there are natural alternatives. Greenfly can be dispatched from plants with a blast of water from a hose, caterpillars can be picked off by hand (or, better still, cover the plants with garden fleece early in the season), slugs can be kept under control with small dishes of beer placed near vulnerable plants – and if you encourage hedgehogs into your garden, you’ll soon find the slug population significantly decreases anyway. We've got plenty of tips on how to get rid of slugs in the garden in our guide too.
Many common diseases such as blackspot on roses can be prevented by regularly spraying plants with an organic tonic – SB Plant Invigorator is a particularly good one to try.
Onions and chives grown around roses can help combat blackspot too.
14. Make your own fertiliser
(Image credit: Future)
Rather than buying expensive ready-made fertilizers, you can make your own plant-friendly nettle or comfrey tea cheaply and easily. Grow a patch of comfrey or nettles specially for this purpose, or collect nettles locally. Drop them into a bucket of water (one part leaves to ten parts water) then set them aside for a few days. The resulting liquid makes a wonderful plant food for free.
When both nettles and comfrey are in flower, they will attract beneficial insects too (nettles, in particular are loved by small tortoiseshell and peacock butterflies whose larvae feed on the stems).
15. Leave your lawn
(Image credit: Getty Images)
One of the best ideas for how to create an eco-friendly garden and attract pollinators to your plot is to leave some or all of your lawn to grow without mowing it until the end of the summer.
Mowing a path through or around will ensure it looks planned rather than simply unkempt!. You may be surprised at how many wildflowers appear among the grass in even just the first season.
Even if you can’t bear to let your lawn grow out completely, consider waiting longer than usual before getting out the mower – lawn weeds such as dandelions provide pollen early in the season while white clover is always a big hit with honeybees, and red clover is the flower of choice for bumblebees.
When you do mow your lawn, try ‘grasscycling’ – leaving grass trimmings on the lawn after mowing to provide a natural fertilizer for the grass and help trap moisture in the soil. Using the best lawn mower with a mulching facility is an easy way to do this – they re-circulate and re-cut the grass clippings, creating a fine mulch that’s returned to the lawn where it quickly decomposes, putting precious nutrients back into the soil. If you’re feeling lazy, the best robot lawn mowers will automatically mow your lawn and mulch it at pre-set times without you having to lift a finger!
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Sarah is a freelance journalist and is lucky to be able to write about her two main passions: gardening and food. She recently took on an allotment too, and is really loving growing all her own fruit and veg then bringing it home to try out in new recipes for her food and gardening blog, A Cook's Plot .
Ecological garden - a new dimension of ecology in horticulture
The term "green development" is becoming more and more fashionable - it is about the use of natural resources so that they can be used by future generations. It is important to protect the resources of earth, water, plants and animals, as well as the natural circulation of matter in nature. This keeps all the elements in balance. A balanced garden is a combination of ecology and ease of use.
Green garden
The idea of a green garden is to protect the environment and reduce the cost of garden consumption.
There is no need to buy fertilizers or use drinking water as it can be obtained naturally. Rainwater recovery is water saving. nine0003
Turning natural waste into compost means no need to buy artificial fertilizers, saving money and not damaging the soil. Planting plants without chemicals is a necessary and expected practice. Even pests can be destroyed naturally, for example, by choosing the right plants.
Buying seeds for an organic garden
To create an organic garden, we can use commercially available standard seeds. It is recommended to buy seeds labeled bio, eco or organic on the packaging. This ensures that natural growing methods have been used to produce such seed, without the use of plant protection chemicals. nine0003
No artificial fertilizers are used for organic seed production. These seeds are not genetically modified or treated with chemicals. An eco-friendly garden does not respect chemistry - nature reigns supreme in it.
Protection of soil fertility
Plants can only grow when the soil is of sufficient quality.
In an ecologically clean garden, the soil must be protected from degradation and have natural fertility. Plants cover the soil, protect it from the destructive effects of wind and water, and the roots loosen the soil. nine0003
If the soil is not the most fertile, it can be fertilized with substances from the house and garden, in accordance with the principle of the natural cycle. The process is as follows - plants are eaten by animals, the fertilizers they create enter the soil, enriching it with nutrients for plants, which again become food for animals.
In other words, fertilize and protect the soil in an organic garden. Only natural fertilizers are used: manure, compost. As a result, plants receive easily digestible nutrients, increasing the humus content - light soils become denser and retain moisture, and heavy soils become more plump and airy. nine0003
Green fertilizers
Various fertilizers, including those advertised as organic, can be found in garden stores.
It is best to independently apply green fertilizers in the form of planting plants such as: phacelia, vetch, seradella or mustard. They enrich the soil.
They should be sown in late summer and buried in autumn to bring the green parts under the soil surface, which, after decomposition, improve the soil and increase the nitrogen content. For a balanced garden, this is the best way to get fertile soil and a good harvest of planned plants. nine0003
Compost is a simple way of natural fertilizer
An ecological garden is, first of all, the simplicity and naturalness of all the means used. Composting is the remains of plants, weeds (except wheat grass), the remains of vegetables and fruits, cut grass, etc.), as well as organic waste and fallen leaves from trees (with the exception of beech, oak and poplar leaves due to a longer time expansions).
Protecting plants from pests without harming the soil and human health is very effective. This is confirmed by scientific research and the experience of gardeners.
nine0003
Plant preparations repel pests, prevent diseases and further strengthen plants. It is easy to find information on the Internet on how to prepare a plant remedy that protects the flora in the garden.
Expert advice
Environmental projects - a unique form of environmental education | Consultation on the topic:
MDOU "Kindergarten No. 32 of a combined type"
Consultation for teachers
on the topic
"Environmental projects -
a unique form of environmental education»
according to VR: Novinskaya G.A.
Senior teacher: Strashenko E.V.
Yarega town
2015
Environmental education is an important component of the general education of a modern person.
Preschool institutions are the initial element of the system of environmental education.
The goal of environmental education for preschoolers is the formation of a complex of practical and scientific knowledge about the world of animals and plants, natural phenomena. The child develops a responsible attitude to the unique world of nature, an orientation towards the conservation of natural resources. nine0003
The problem of environmental education of a preschooler is one of the fundamental problems of the theory of education and is of paramount importance for educational work. All outstanding thinkers and teachers of the past attached great importance to nature as a means of raising children: Ya. A. Komensky saw in nature a source of knowledge, a means for the development of the mind, feelings and will. K. D. Ushinsky was in favor of "leading children into nature" in order to tell them everything that was accessible and useful for their mental and verbal development. The ideas of familiarizing preschoolers with nature were further developed in the theory and practice of preschool education.
nine0003
In modern conditions, when the sphere of educational influence is expanding significantly, the problem of environmental education of preschoolers is becoming particularly acute and relevant.
For centuries, man has been a consumer in relation to nature: he lived and used its gifts without thinking about the consequences. It is at preschool age that the assimilation of the basics of environmental knowledge is most productive, since the baby perceives nature very emotionally, as something alive. The influence of nature on the child is enormous: it meets the baby with a sea of sounds and smells, secrets and riddles, makes you stop, look, think. nine0003
One of the most effective methods in working with children on ecology is the method of projects. The project allows you to integrate information from different areas of knowledge to solve one problem. This method makes it possible to develop the individual and collective activities of children, expand their communication experience, makes it possible for the teacher to implement a student-centered approach to each child.
The specifics of the project method, the special pedagogical significance of the project method is as follows:
- it opens up the possibility of shaping the child's own life experience of interacting with the outside world;
- is a method based on children's needs and interests, age and individual characteristics of children;
is one of the methods that brings the pedagogical process out of the walls of the kindergarten into the outside world, the natural and social environment.
Based on the classification of project activities proposed by T.V. Furyaeva, the following types of projects can be distinguished:
Types of projects in the preschool educational institution:
1. Research and educational - joint experimentation and subsequent presentation of the results in the form of newspapers, handwritten publications, design structures.
2. Game - the use of elements of creative games with the entry of the image of the characters and the solution of the problems posed.
3. Information-practice-oriented - collection of information and its implementation (formation and design of the group, development of game modules, drawing up plans and diagrams, file cabinets, etc.)
4. Creative - presentation of the results of activities in the form of holidays, theatrical performances, presentations of products of joint work.
By duration, environmental projects are divided into:
- Short-term - the period of their implementation can last from three days to a week.
- Medium-term - calculated for a period of one to three months.
- Long-term - within one year.
It is unwise to plan longer projects for kindergarten. With pupils of younger groups, it is possible to implement only short-term projects that solve a problem that is accessible to their understanding. But the most effective work is project research conducted with pupils of older groups. nine0003
Basic requirements for using the project method:
- At the heart of any project is a problem that requires research to solve.
- The project is a serious game, the results of which are significant for children and adults.
- Mandatory components of the project - children's independence (with the support of a teacher), co-creation of children and adults, development of children's communication skills, cognitive and creative skills, application of acquired knowledge in practice. nine0098
In working with preschoolers, there are 4 stages of work on the project:
1. Preparatory - the teacher formulates the problem and the goal of the project, sets tasks, determines the product of the project. Introduces children to a game or story situation.
2. Practical. At this stage, the teacher helps the children to correctly plan the activities of the children, if necessary, provides the children with practical assistance, and also directs and controls the implementation of the project.
3. Evaluative-reflexive. Children develop a variety of knowledge, skills and abilities. nine0003
The teacher summarizes the results of the work, analyzes the activities, formulates conclusions.
4. Presentation - presentation of project products by children to parents, presentation of experience as a teacher.
In the course of working on a project, it is also important to remember the rules for the success of project activities.
* there are no leaders in the team;
* all team members are equal;
*. all team members should enjoy communicating with each other and from the fact that they complete the project task together; nine0003
* everyone should enjoy the feeling of self-confidence;
* everyone should be active and contribute to the common cause;
* there should be no so-called “sleeping partners”;
* all members of the team performing the project task are responsible for the final result.
What environmental projects can be implemented in kindergarten?
With children of the initial age group of 3-4 years old, it is possible to organize the project "Laboratory of inanimate nature". Toddlers are able to observe and participate in experiments with water, sand, grass, seeds, fruits.
So, when studying the properties of water, one can make an experiment on its ability to dissolve sweet and bitter substances. Seeds are planted in pots and germinate. nine0003
Children of the middle group are able to take part in projects: "Little gardeners" - experiments with garden plants are organized.
"Birds are our friends" - children watch birds, hang feeders, birdhouses.
More can be organized with the children attending the senior and preparatory groups. Thus, the project "Workshop of Nature" allows you to learn how branches, saw cuts, seeds, leaves of plants can be used to decorate household items.
In the Plant Doctor project, children learn to recognize medicinal plants and learn about their healing properties. nine0003
The project "Meteorological Bureau of Folk Signs" allows you to study weather phenomena and learn how to predict them using the clues of nature.
The most ambitious project that can be proposed for implementation in the preparatory group is the creation of the Small Natural Academy.
You can also carry out interesting projects:
Floors of the forest”, “Who lives in the forest”, “Reserve”, “The air must be clean”, “Icicles”, “What do we know about water”, “Blue droplet” , "Who is friends with spruce". nine0003
It should be noted that the basis for the success of the implementation of all projects and reality is the good preparation of the teaching staff of the kindergarten, the interaction of all specialists.
The example of adults, parents, and educators is of considerable importance in the upbringing of children. Often, growing up, children behave and act in the same way as their parents once behaved and acted. If parents deal with issues of environmental education, then children will also be brought up with interest, love for nature and respect for it. Therefore, environmental education of children should take place in close cooperation with the child's family. nine0003
Forms of work with parents on environmental education:
- Questioning, conducting surveys to identify their environmental competence.
- Roundtable discussions, non-traditional parent meetings (talk shows, business games, teaching services office, direct telephone), consultations and environmental messages for the parent corner.
- Calendar of interesting dates - joint leisure activities, holidays, KVNs, quizzes.
- Homework - participation in exhibitions, competitions, pedagogical screens, mailbox, etc. nine0003
- Involving parents in joint labor activities with their children on the site and in the corner of nature.
- Use of scientific and popular methodical literature on the problems of ecological education.
- Issue of newspapers, photographic newspapers, environmental albums, posters, folders-folders.
The activities of teachers to involve families in the environmental education of children will allow preschoolers to form a responsible attitude towards the environment, to achieve a higher level of their upbringing. nine0003
ADVICE TO THE TEACHER ON WORKING ON THE PROJECT
1.
Deeply study the subject of the project.
2. When drawing up a joint plan for working with children on a project, support children's initiative.
3. To interest each child in the subject of the project, to support his curiosity and steady interest in the problem.
4. Create play motivation based on the interests of children and their emotional response.
5. Introduce children to a problematic situation, accessible to their understanding and based on children's personal experience. nine0003
6. Tactfully consider all the options for solving the problem proposed by the children: the child should have the right to make mistakes and not be afraid to speak out.
7. Observe the principle of consistency and regularity in the work on the project.
8. While working on the project, create an atmosphere of co-creation with the child, using an individual approach.
9. To develop the creative imagination and fantasy of children.
10.
