Going green in the garden

Many homeowners now think of their garden as being an extra room, and so, as a result, the environmental concerns that affect us inside the house are, inevitably, going to follow us outside. Fear not, however, as there are many actions that you can take to ensure that your garden is green in both senses of the word.

Saving water

Reducing our water usage is perhaps one of the biggest concerns for gardeners today. There are two ways in which you can do this – firstly you can simply use less. Many experts believe that if you water less often you encourage both your plants and your lawn to take deeper roots, therefore making them sturdier and more drought resistant. When you do water them, ensure that it is in the evening – this way the water will take longer to evaporate, resulting in less water being required over the long run.

Pots and hanging baskets are renowned for being extremely thirsty, but you can slow down evaporation by lining them with plastic bags. Meanwhile, spread mulch over your borders to conserve water.

It’s also time to ditch the sprinkler. Sprinklers waste a phenomenal amount of water, especially when they throw the water high, as so much is lost through evaporation. Hosepipes themselves use up to 1,000 litres of water an hour – meaning that it can be expensive as well as wasteful.

Secondly, you can recycle water. Grey water is the term used for water generated from household activities such as washing-up and bathing, and such water is perfectly suitable for watering your garden. Rainwater is perhaps even better for your plants, however, as there are no chlorine additives, so invest in a water butt to collect rain from your gutters.

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