How to make your garden eco-friendly
There’s more than one way to make your outdoor space green. Try these tips for making your garden work harder for the environment.
Image: Pixabay
Take a look at the below top tips from the experts at the independent online florist, Serenata Flowers, and learn how to make your green space even greener – after all, change starts at home!
1. Plant pretty flowers
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An easy tip for anyone to follow – plant some attractive flowers to encourage bees, butterflies and other wildlife into the garden. Bees are vital to the eco system and therefore all of us, so when considering what to plant next, why not try some honeysuckle, lavender or foxgloves? These will all help to attract bees and make your garden an environmentally friendly safe haven for our buzzy friends.
Read more: 5 easy ways to create a bee-friendly garden
2. Collect rainwater
Image: Markus Spiske
It wouldn’t be a British summertime without a little rain! Put the British weather to good use by purchasing a butt or us a large container to collect the rainwater from your downpipes when the downpours inevitably start. In the days to come, the water collected can then be used to care for your plants, conserving water but still giving your shrubbery the refreshing drink it needs after a sunny day.
3. Feed the birds
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A great way to attract more birds to your garden is to simply put out food. Hanging a bird feeder from a tree or scattering bird seed over the lawn will have your garden filled with bird song in no time – but why not go one step further and create a bird feeder from scratch? There are plenty of resources online that demonstrate ingenious ways to create a bird feeder at home, using recycled materials such as plastic bottles, glass jars or scrap wood.
4. Grow your own veg
Image: Pixabay
If you’ve got some spare time on your hands, or perhaps are looking for an activity to do with the kids, starting your own vegetable patch could be the perfect solution to keep busy and start feeling green. Not only will growing your own veg be an entertaining task, it will cut down your CO2 emissions and packaging wastage.
5. Make your own compost
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Food waste bins are becoming increasingly common across the UK, with most councils now offering them as standard, but don’t simply leave your food waste to be collected by the bin men. Over time, food waste breaks down to form a wonderful compost that will do wonders for your garden plants. Use all the decomposable left-overs from your meals to feed the plants and flowers in your garden – from peas and beans and to egg shells and banana skins, these unwanted scraps are the elixir of life for your garden.
Read more: How to make a DIY compost maker
6. Add a water feature
Image: Garden House Design
If you have the space, a water feature is not only an attraction for humans to enjoy, it’s also a treat for many amphibious creatures and insects in search of somewhere wet to put down roots. A water feature provides a source of water for many thirsty birds and mammals which is especially beneficial during the warmer summer months.
Do you have any eco-friendly garden tips? Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page.