Gardening seems like such an inherently green activity. But what about those new patio slabs that came from a quarry that uses child labour on the other side of the world? And that pesticide that killed off the local bees as well as the bugs that were ruining your prize flowers? To ensure that your garden is ethically clean as well as green, try incorporating a few of these suggestions into your gardening routine.
1 LET THE LAWN GROWPerhaps that's too radical an idea, but do bear in mind that two square metres of uncut grass produces enough oxygen each year to provide an adult with a year's supply. There are other ways to make lawn care gr
eener. You can cut down on the need for fertilisers by simply leaving the clippings on the lawn when you cut the grass – they will supply nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. Petrol lawn-mowers aren't exactly compatible with green gardening, so instead build up your muscles and use a push-mower (www.mower-magic.co.uk has a decent selection).
2 STOP COLLECTING PLASTIC POTSTowering piles of plastic pots are the gardening equivalent of having hundreds of carrier bags stuffed in the kitchen cupboard. Made using petro-chemicals, plastic plant pots aren't the most environmentally friendly choice, so once you've got them, make sure you re-use them. Alternatives are available – visit www.hairyplantpots.co.uk for a selection of sustainable coir pots and modules for young plants that will biodegrade after planting.
3 GO ORGANICIf you're a perfectionist, the thought of going organic may fill you with horror, but there are eco-friendly solutions to common garden problems. Good books giving advice include the HDRA Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening by Anna Kruger (Dorling Kindersley, £18.99) and Going Organic by Bob Flowerdew (Kyle Cathie, £19.99) or go to www.gardenorganic.org.uk for eco-friendly tips and details of local organic groups and events.
4 PLANT TREESTree-planting is no longer seen as a sole solution to global warming, but planting trees in your garden will add structure and colour, provide habitats for wildlife and absorb at least some carbon dioxide. A less well-known benefit of garden trees is that they can help lower your energy bills. Evergreens planted to the north and west help protect your house from cold winds, while deciduous trees in the south and east provide shade in summer but let the sun through to warm up your home in winter. Find out more about tree-planting from the Woodland Trust (www.woodland-trust.org.uk).
5 CHOOSE YOUR MATERIALS CAREFULLYGarden raw materials come with varying degrees of eco-friendliness. Indian sandstone, for instance, is far cheaper than the British equivalent, but reports of child labour at quarries and environmental damage may make you think twice about whether the bargain price is worth it. Always ask suppliers how their stone is sourced; Marshalls is one company leading the way on the issue (www.marshalls.co.uk/sustainability). Sustainable timber is easier to find – just look for the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) symbol on any furniture or other wood you're buying.
6 GROW YOUR OWNA great way to get started is with a salad mix pack – these seeds are inexpensive and will provide you with baby leaves all summer long, removing the need for tired, supermarket salad packs. Check out websites www.jekkasherbfarm.com or www.nickys-nursery.co.uk for a good selection. Carol Klein's latest book, Grow Your Own Veg (Mitchell Beazley, £16.99), will guide you through the basics and most garden centres stock young edible plants if you don't want to grow from seed. With no air miles or pesticides to worry about, your home-grown crop will be as local as you can get.
7 CONSERVE WATERA sizeable number of Scots will scoff at this notion, especially since it felt as if it rained for two months solid last summer. But while outdoor water use only accounts for about seven per cent of total water use, in summer that figure can rise to over 50 per cent (and the energy costs associated with treating and pumping water for our homes are huge). Collecting rainwater in water butts is a good thing when it comes to watering your garden, as tap water can be too cold and full of salts. The website www.waterwise.org.uk features a guide to buying water butts and has lots of other tips. These include getting rid of sprinklers, which can use up to 1,000 litres of water an hour – more than a family of four uses in a whole day.
8 BUY LOCALWhile we're all being encouraged to shop for locally produced food, remember that the same approach makes sense when it comes to plants. Do you know where your new shrubs were produced? Often plants are shipped in from wherever it's most profitable to grow them – which can mean raising them in huge greenhouses where they're fed fertiliser (the production of which creates CO ) and treated with hormones. So asking your retailer about the origins of any plant you're buying always makes sense, as does supporting local nurseries. For UK-produced mail order organic plants try Delfland Nurseries (www.organicplants.co.uk) and to find out more about Scotland's beautiful native species (and what needs to be done to protect them in the wild), visit www.plantlife.org.uk
9 GET COMPOSTINGUsing kitchen and garden waste to improve your plot is an easy way to make your garden greener. That said, it is worth doing a bit of research to ensure you get just the right mix of materials in your compost heap. Another option is a wormery – kids will love it and they're a good choice if you're not producing a huge amount of waste (www.wigglywigglers.co.uk). When you do need to buy compost, it must be peat-free if you want to protect valuable habitats. Organic peat-free compost is now widely available – www.recyclenow.com has a buying guide with stockist details, as well as plenty of tips on home composting.
10 WELCOME WILDLIFEThere's lots of talk about how the garden is now used as an "outdoor room", but if you cover your plot with decking, concrete and patio furniture you'll effectively be putting up a "no entry" sign to wildlife. Britain's gardens are vital for wildlife and those birds, bees and butterflies can all help your garden flourish. There are lots of organisations offering advice: try the RSPB (www.rspb.org.uk), Wild About Gardens (www.wildaboutgardens.org) or get to know your local creepy crawlies with help from the Invertebrate Conservation Trust (www.buglife.org.uk).
