This year, one of the most prominent gardening trends is that of creating and maintaining a sustainable, Eco-friendly garden. The question is, how exactly do you go about doing that? Below is a quick breakdown of the most important considerations to keep in mind before you create an Eco-friendly garden on your property.
How To Create an Eco-Friendly Garden
Focus on Lighting
The lighting in your garden is a great place to start making changes for the better. Ask yourself what type of pond garden lighting system you are currently using, for example. Ultimately, the Eco-friendliest options will be solar LED lights. Luckily, most of these types of lighting are extremely affordable and easy to find these days.
Recycle and Reuse Materials Whenever You Can
Keen to introduce a birdhouse or a bird feeder into your outdoor space? Instead of heading to your local garden shop and buying one, why not make one by reusing materials? For instance, you could make a bird feeder out of an old bottle and a birdhouse using old cardboard boxes or wood. If you don’t have time to make these garden items yourself, do some research into companies that make them using recycled materials on your behalf. Many of these companies make a wide range of garden must-haves, including pots, comfortable garden furniture, and fencing.
Embrace Eco Materials
The more natural materials that you use in your garden, the better. Think log walls, bails of straw, and cob. Many of these eco-friendly materials are cheaper than their man-made alternatives, so bonus!
Save Water
Keeping water usage to a minimum is arguably the most important aspect of any sustainable garden. This does not mean avoiding watering your plants and flowers until they are nearing the brink of death, however. Rather, it means selecting your plants and flowers wisely. Some require much less water than others, after all.
Furthermore, you should also strive to collect as much rainwater as you can and use this to water your garden. A few strategically placed large buckets will usually do the trick. Other great water conservation tips for eco-friendly gardens include:
- Keeping an eye on ponds and replacing or repairing leaking pond liners
- Avoiding using sprinklers to water plants and grass
- Focusing on watering the roots of flowers and plants as opposed to the leaves
- Watering the garden very early in the morning or in the evening at sunset to reduce evaporation
- Buying larger plant and flower pots to help ensure that the soil remains moist for longer periods of time
Reduce Water Run-Off
Water run-off in your garden can contribute to numerous problems for the wildlife in your community. Furthermore, it is also known to worsen the problem of flooding during the rainy season. How can you keep it at an acceptable level? The answer lies in using permeable paving instead of concrete paving. Slate chippings and gravel are both excellent options to consider. Not only are they permeable, but they look stunning too!
If in doubt regarding any of the ins and outs of creating and nurturing an eco-friendly garden, do not hesitate to consult with a professional landscaper for guidance.
Nice tips! And we can also reduce the usage of chemicals, especially for pest control. We can use natural pest control such as garlic, elder and rhubarb leaf sprays to get rid of garden pests.
I completely agree. I try not to use any chemicals at all here on my homestead.