Eco garden trends for the coming year is all about sustainable gardening and using eco friendly gardening practices. We are all getting a bit more eco-conscious and now people are spending a lot more leisure time at home and in the garden. Eco-friendly gardens are in, and chemically needy gardens are out. The recession has boosted the gardening industry to an extent as more and more people are choosing to spend more of their leisure time at home and in the garden. Growing fruit and vegetables’ has been on the increase for home owners and tenants with gardens for many years.
The garden retail market is worth billions so researchers spend many hours and money on studying why and how we garden. According to the Garden Media Group’s 2014 Garden Trend Report, the main trend will be homeowners spending more leisure time outdoors, decorating their garden rooms as much as their home interiors. Smart gardens are in and high maintenance gardens are out. Buying local is in and big eco-footprints are out.
Eco-friendly gardens where more sustainable materials in the garden is a hot trend right now and looks set to continue. Upcycling is also hot right now which is where people re-purpose old stuff into something new and useful. Ideas such as turning an old tyre or wooden pallet into a planter are becoming more popular.
What will 2019 bring?
Grow your own: Growing your own fruit and vegetables has been on the increase since the recession and this eco garden trend looks set to continue.
Recycling: More people will be recycling scraps of food and creating their own compost and mulch. Also installing water buts to collect rain to feed the garden is on the increase.
Young gardeners: More and more younger gardeners are getting into gardening thanks to schools helping to raise local interest in gardening.
Gardening for the Birds & Bees: We are all away that bees are on the decline so more of us are using our gardens and planting relevant plants to attract wildlife.
6 Tips For Eco-Friendly Gardening
If you want to join the trend in gardening and want to take steps to a more eco-friendly method of gardening, read the following tips:
1. Bring In The Birds and Bees
Birds: Birds help to pollinate plants and provide natural pest control. To attract birds and bees into your garden they need food, water, shelter and nesting areas. Water is very important in a garden for attracting birds so adding a water feature of bird bath will attract the birds. Birds like to nest in old tree limbs and stumps so if you have an old tree or branches that you would otherwise remove, don’t, let them be so the birds can come and next. Food wise you can get tube feeders which you can fill with a variety of seeds. Birds help to pollinate plants and provide natural pest control, which can save you the hassle (and harm) of needing to spray plants with chemical pesticides to keep your plants from being damaged by insects and other pests.
Bees: If you want to attract bees into your garden you need to consider what you are planting. Bees are basically looking for 2 things when they visit your garden, plants with nectar and pollen. Ideally you need a range of plants that will offer a succession of flowers, and thus pollen and nectar, throughout the whole growing season. Many popular flowers today are hybrids which mean they are a cross between two different plant varieties. Sadly hybridization has reduced the production of nectar and pollen in some of these plants so they are sterile and useless to bees. Native plants are your best bet and there are hundreds to choose from.
2. Use Eco Friendly Mowers and Tools
A gas lawn mower is one of the most harmful tools you can use to maintain your garden lawn. Instead consider push mowers or electric mowers which do not give off fumes.
3. Collect Rainwater
Another environmentally harmful aspect of gardening is the excessive water waste that can go into taking care of plants. By collecting rainwater in a water but and utilising over you plants you will be doing your bit to help the environment. You will be better utilising this water if you use a watering can rather than a hose as you can direct the water to where is needed rather than the inevitable waste from a hose. Many people set up drip watering systems which are attached to water buts which will water your plants on your schedule.
4. Grow your own
Growing your own fruit and vegetables is a great way to make your garden greener. It is also highly enjoyable and fulfilling. There is nothing better than cooking with your own fruit and vegetables. Growing herbs in pots is a great idea for those with a small garden or patio type garden and they will also attract birds, bees and butterflies.
5. Make your own compost
You can make your own compost easily by either buying a compost bin or making your own. Once you have a dedicated area you can add all your food scraps, shredded news paper, the content of your hoover, dead leaves, grass cuttings, tea bags and any uncooked vegetables and fruit peelings.
6. Eco-friendly garden furniture
We recommend Green Oak wood as it is naturally strong and resistant to decay which makes it maintenance free and the natural choice for eco-friendly outdoor furniture. Here at greenoakfurniture.net you can see some of the very best eco friendly English Oak furniture made by Chris Nangle. Chris uses only locally-sourced native hardwood from well managed woodlands which leaves a minimal carbon footprint.
One last tip is to try to stay away from chemical pesticides, if you follow the above tips and attract natural wildlife into your garden the birds will be the best form of natural pest control you could ask for. If you new to gardening but plan to get active this coming year, go for it. Do plenty of research and plan ahead. You will not regret it. As the 17th-century philosopher Francis Bacon once said ‘gardening is the purest of human pleasures’.
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