How to Make Your Garden Sustainable
A sustainable garden is so important to our planet, especially with global warming becoming an increasing issue we are having to deal with. But you may be asking what actually is a sustainable garden and how can you achieve one? Well not to worry, we are here to help and provide you with some wonderful ideas.
So, what is a sustainable garden? A sustainable garden is a space where natural elements are the main focus, the garden should not be causing stress to these to let them thrive and grow. They are incredibly important to look at having in your outdoor space, we want to allow nature to do its thing and not get in its way.
It may be hard to visualise something in your mind or come up with ideas, which is why we have put together this blog full of inspiration.
Sustainable Ideas for the Garden
This list of ideas could go on forever, but that could get a little tedious to read, so instead we have picked our favourites that are easy habits to adopt and put to use in the garden.
- Make your own compost (see our how-to guide below!)
- If you do not wish to make your own, ensure you buy peat free compost
- Leave your lawn to grow – this can be hard to do during summer and spring, however allowing the grass and plants to flourish is so beneficial to the cycle of pollination. This can be a good habit to put into place over the autumn and winter.
- Save water with a water butt – this is a fantastic way to save some money on your water bill and use rainwater instead for your garden. It definitely rains a lot on England so let’s make the most of it!
- Upcycling projects – if something needs replacing or is broken why not give it a new lease of life and upcycle it? If it cannot be saved perhaps you can recycle it accordingly, a broken chair can easily be turned into a nice house for bugs. Sustainable garden furniture is a big thumbs up in our eyes!
- Go green and grow some plants – we will discuss below a bit more on what you can grow, but this is a key part of a sustainable garden!
How to Make Your Own Compost
As mentioned earlier on, making your own compost has a vast number of benefits for your garden. Not only is it eco-friendly, but your garden will thrive with rich soil and healthy plants whilst also providing a home for wildlife, like bumblebees and hedgehogs.
You will need to use a number of items that are rich in nitrogen and also rich in carbon. There are lots of ideas online but we have picked out a few below:
Nitrogen-Rich: fruit & veg peelings, teabags, grass cuttings and weeds
Carbon-Rich: prunings, cardboard, sawdust, pet bedding and paper bags
With some items gathered, you can start building:
- Find a place directly in the sunlight and on the soil. This will allow micro-organisms a chance to enter your compost heap and do their thing. It is completely up to you what your compost heap is done in, it could be a shop brought tub or maybe a homemade box. Then fill it up with equal parts of nitrogen-rich components to carbon-rich ones.
- You will need to occasionally turn your compost as it’s doing its thing. This will help the process speed up. You can rotate this using a garden fork. Make sure you keep it covered from the rain.
- You will know it is ready to go when it turns brown and crumbly! It can take anywhere from 6 months onwards. Patience is key.
This is something you can continually work on, it’s a fantastic way to be sustainable within your outdoors space.
Go Green
To be more sustainable within your garden you could also look into growing your own fresh produce. Fruit, vegetables, herbs and spices can be relatively easy to grow and get into. We have a number of blogs dedicated to growing fruit and veg, so be sure to give them a read
How to create a vegetable garden
How to start your own allotment
Veggie Ideas:
Why not try some of these winter vegetable ideas:
- Turnips
- Carrots
- Beetroot
- Brussel Sprouts
- Kale
If winter vegetables are not your thing, perhaps growing some flowers is a better idea? Check out some of our favourite winter flowers you might like to try:
- Winter Jasmine
- Flowering Heather
- Cherry Trees
- Snowdrops
- Pansies
There are lots of sites online that are full of wonderful growing tips and tricks for your winter plants. Instagram and TikTok have gardeners sharing their gardens all the time, no matter what time of year. So be sure to absorb yourself in some amazing inspiration and become more eco-friendly in the garden this winter. You should also check out our other gardening blogs.
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