A Green Garden That Gives Back To The Environment
“Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” Hopefully, the answer is healthy and with the planet in mind. There’s no doubt that there are easier places to start than with the Great Outdoors. Let’s face it – the stretch of lawn out the back is a high-maintenance job. You have to cut it, water it, and make sure it gets enough food and nutrients to survive. It’s like having an outdoor child!
Oh yes, recycling is less hassle and does a lot to help Mother Earth. However, the garden is where the real change starts. Not only is it where food grows and oxygen prospers, but it’s an area that can cut out unnatural and inorganic waste. Now, a true tree hugger won’t be able to ignore the last sentence. So, if you are serious about giving back, it’s time to create a garden that does just that.
Here are the tips to remember. The following will come in handy, that is guaranteed.
Keep It Real
Not to be a cynic, but you can’t trust industry-standard products because there is no way to tell what’s inside. Think about the horse meat lasagne scandal a few years ago and tell me they advertised the fact to their customers! Regardless of what the ingredients say on the back, there may be a chemical which you don’t agree with or that is harmful to the greenery. As Ali G would say, “keep it real.” And, the alter ego of Sacha Baron Cohen has never been wrong before. Regarding nutrients in the garden try and make your own with leftovers from the kitchen and wriggly earthworms. This is, of course, a nod to compost which is straightforward and hassle-free to make. Just buy a bin and fill it with organic waste and let the worms do the rest.
Compost is the first step, but pesticides are the next stone in the right direction. Every gardener knows they have to keep the pests out if the garden is going to prosper. Ladybirds, caterpillars, etc. love to eat fresh fruit, vegetables and plants and go through a patch like a swarm of biblical locusts in a wheat field. But, the problem is the fact that you can’t use chemicals to kill them and keep them away. Anything you add to the soil ends up in the produce, and it can get into your system too. So, poisons are out, which begs the question: how are you going to disturb the pests’ dinner? The answer comes in the form of natural measures. For example, you can let Mother Nature play her part. Bugs are low down on the food chain, and spiders and birds will gladly feast if they get the chance. An alternative is to grow companion plants to act as a guard.
Grow Your Own
The world is overpopulated and the food resources are dwindling as a result. By growing your food in the garden, you can ease the pressure and do your bit in the process. Still, it isn’t as simple as blogs and sites like to make out because living organisms are notoriously tricky to handle. Plants, in particular, won’t grow if they don’t get the right amount of nutrients, water and sunlight. In the UK, H2O shouldn’t be a problem, and we’ve gone over organic nutrients, so that leaves sunlight. With spring approaching (apparently), it’s best to let the sun do the work. Therefore, you can remove the winter shelters and any obstacles of light. Also, cut back the wintertime growth so that the main plants don’t have to compete. Hedges and shrubs are tall and will block UV rays, so they gotta go.
Plant In Bunches
One of the fantastic things about gardens is that they produce oxygen while removing carbon dioxide. CO2 pollution is a massive factor in global warming, which is why greenery can help reset the planet back to its factory settings. However, you have to have a decent number of plants in the garden at any one time to see the benefits. A small hanging basket is colourful yet it doesn’t do anything to lower your carbon footprint. In this respect, the trick is to plant as much vegetation as possible. Two things to keep in mind are space and aesthetics. When there isn’t enough room, the flowers will attack each other because it’s a dog-eat-dog world. From a visual point of view, too much vegetation in one place will look crowded and untidy. Separating them into bunches and planting them in different corners of the garden will kill two birds with one stone.
Research Furniture
Adding pieces which aren’t eco-friendly is a terrible idea and negates all of your hard work. Aside from being a waste, you don’t want to cheat which is why researching the equipment is essential. Not every item on the market is green, even in today’s climate, so it’s crucial that you think before you act. The key is to buy furniture for the outdoors from vendors that have an excellent reputation. Trex and Haskell are two examples but there are dozens more. Alternatively, homeowners can choose furniture which is recycled or reclaimed. Wood is always being remanufactured because it’s flexible and fashionable at the same time. Honestly, no one will be able to tell the difference.
Remove Style For Substance
Certain pieces look stunning but are pretty bad for the planet. It won’t spring to mind instantly, but a fountain is a prime example. In Cape Town, there is a water shortage where residents can’t turn on a tap and fill up a glass. However, some properties have water features running twenty-four-seven using clean H2O. It’s a waste and it flies in the face of conservationists everywhere. The only option is to remove the items from the garden and replace them with an organic substitute. If you can’t think of one, a pond is well worth considering if you have space.
How does your garden pull its weight?
This is a collaborative post.
