Abacus

Tips for a Green Garden

Every day we hear about global warming, the extinction of rare animals, and other ecological disasters. We feel bad, but what can we actually do about it?

Green, sustainable and eco-friendly garden design does not mean you have to compromise on good garden design. In fact careful, considered thought about materials and how they are used often lead to better design and better results.
• Consider indigenous, drought tolerant plants
• Only use organic compost and fertilizer.
• Almost every landscape material you choose to use will have an environmental impact, but some   are more eco-friendly than others.
• Compromise is rarely avoidable, so the trick is to weigh up the facts and make an informed    decision to use the less damaging materials.

• Ask yourself three simple questions when assessing how sustainable your landscaping materials    are:
    • How much energy was used to source, manufacture and install them?
    • How much energy was used to transport them?
    • How do the materials behave in the garden?
• Use locally sourced materials and cut down on road miles
• Use recycled materials where possible;
• Grey water: - Rainfall is becoming less predictable in our changing climate and so an important    part of sustainable garden design planning relates to the management of rainwater. A better,    solution, is the storage of grey water and rainwater in an underground tank. This is a far more    practical solution as the water can be pumped directly from the tank and used to flush toilets, feed    the washing machine and irrigate the garden. Surprisingly, only 5% of the water we use needs to    be drinking water!
• Cuttings from the garden can be added to the compost heap
• Alien/Invader species that are cut down can be used for Pergolas and trellises
• Recycled materials may well cost more than new materials but remember that recycled brick,    stone and timber will immediately give a scheme character and make a garden design look    established - as well as improving its green credentials
• There should be no wastage in a green garden and the aim of the garden is to attract birds and    insectsto a safe haven. Ensuring you follow the above, you will have an abundance of fauna and    flora that you can enjoy for years to come.

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