Having a sustainable, environmentally friendly garden can mean many things to different people. Below are some key ingredients that can help you achieve a healthy, sustainable garden.
Healthy means happy
Healthy soil is vital to the overall health of your garden. Compost, worm castings and added organic matter and mulch can all play an important role in maintaining the richness and health of your soil.
Organic gardening is another environmentally-friendly practice that benefits both your health and that of your garden. Minimise the use of chemicals including pesticide and fungicide and substitute with bio-friendly alternatives like companion planting, traps and herbal sprays where necessary.
Environmentally friendly doesn’t mean boring
Biodiversity is also important since it is actually monocultures (that is, planting only a few different varieties) that tend to become disease hot spots.
Encourage wildlife into your garden with bird-attracting plants, safe areas for lizards, cats with bells and plenty of low ground cover where small birds and animals can feel safe and undetected.
Mulched garden beds let water down into the plants roots and help trap it there.
Any surface that allows water to penetrate is wise. Permeable surfaces allow rainfall to make its way into the ground and water table where your plants can access it, rather than into the storm water system where it becomes wasted. Using various floor materials also adds visual interest and means you can seamlessly blend permeable toppings, like pebbles, into the garden. Try decomposed granite decking - with water falling between the gaps in the boards to the ground below – or pebbles as an alternative porous material.
Create shade. Evaporation is greatly reduced when plants are not as exposed to sunlight. Either plant trees or erect a pergola, which can be covered in vines for almost instant shade.
Want to make a positive impact on the environment? These Sustainable Garden Recipes will show you how to start making a difference in your own backyard.
