How to create a sustainable garden

Switching to sustainable gardening practises goes a long way towards creating a garden that you can enjoy, admire and even eat. A professional gardener will help you reach your sustainability goals. By decreasing carbon consumption, lowering greenhouse gas emissions and adding to plant and animal sustainability, you are lowering your environmental footprint. Here are a few tips for keeping your garden sustainable:

Go Green

First of all, you should go organic. A lot of people tend to invest in chemicals for a rich, flowering garden. However, it is an unwise move. Artificial chemicals can have a negative impact on the quality of your garden. With fewer chemicals, you will have an ecologically sound garden. From building nutrients in the soil to growing amazing plants to eradicating dangerous pests, organic gardens are renowned for their sustainable nature.

Start Mulching

Mulch is any substance that is scattered or placed as a sheet over the soil surface. It is used to retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, keep the soil cool, prevent winter frost heaving, and make the garden bed look more attractive. Organic mulches also help to improve the structure, drainage and nutrient holding capacity of the soil as it decomposes. 

Sustainable gardens require ample mulching. Try to mulch the landscape as much as possible. This is also a great way to prevent the growth of weeds and increase moisture in your soil. Common varieties of sustainable mulch include grass clippings, shredded bark, coir and cocoa bean hulls.

Pick Natives

For a sustainable garden, you should plant native varieties. These plants will need little water, little effort and can produce better yields. When compared against perennials, native plants are meant to suit your garden’s soil type, climate and rainfall. In fact, these plants are usually better suited to provide birds and beneficial native insects with food and shelter.

Add Rock Features

Rocks can make for a spectacular garden, especially when paired with running water movement and strategically positioning garden lighting. You can use natural rock and their cut-outs to form waterfalls and even fish ponds.  

The addition of rocks to the garden cuts back on the area used for flower beds and grass, thereby reducing the amount of water needed to keep the plants clean and green. The use of a variety of rock sizes and pebbles brings texture to a landscape and builds attraction. Create suspense with a focal point, which attracts the eye and blends smaller rock groups with larger rocks interspersed with plants.

Grow Your Own Food

Often, when choosing plants for your garden, it's a smart idea to pick the best plants for the specific location you have in mind. Some plants prefer sandy soil and don't need a lot of water to survive while others, including tropical varieties, do. If you're unsure, talking to some experts, or consulting with a local gardener/landscape designer, is always worth it.

Sourcing fresh produce is a perfect way to minimise driving kilometres and improve the local economy-and you can't get more local than your own backyard!  Growing your own plants means less shopping drives, less waste used in packaging and less money wasted on long-term food stores.

We suggest that you should always have a small portion of herbs that includes the basics such as coriander, basil, parsely, chives, mint and a few leafy greens like rocket leaves, lettuce and spinach. These are all very easy to grow-even for the most beginning gardeners.

Little Water

Sustainable gardens require little water. If you live in an area that is drought prone or scarce for water, choosing plants that thrive on neglect is a great way to have a lively garden in a harsh climate. 

Use household waste water where possible to water your garden. If this is not an alternative, use subsurface irrigation which will provide the plants with water effectively without losing moisture through evaporation. 

Installing a rainwater reservoir is a smart way to save water, or even keeping a few buckets on hand when it seems like rain is on its way to catch it for future use. Other options also include retaining water on the garden with the use of bioswales or rain gardens. 

Perennials

If you want to get more from your garden, opt for long lived perennials. As mentioned previously, ensure if the perennial fits in your climatic zone. Smaller perennials will help you save more money too. As years roll by, these perennials will get better and bigger. Conversely, don’t forget to collect seeds and save them. Flowering plants like morning glory, marigold and sunflower are wonderful hardy plants.

Need help creating your own sustainable garden? Local gardeners can help you pick the right plants for the region and much more! 

Service.com.au provides 3 free no obligation quotes from our local trusted gardeners for your gardeing project.

Further reading:
8 beginner plants for edible gardens
How to save money with rainwater tanks
How to create an indoor vertical garden in your apartment
The best gardening trends for 2019