Sustainable Gardening.
How Green is Your Garden?
Does your garden have a role to play in sustaining the environment? Wine producer, Banrock Station, and the Eden Project clearly think so. They have joined forces this year to open The Garden, an open space which shows visitors how their own garden is much more than just an outside space. Private gardens in Britain span over 500,000 hectares, an area roughly equivalent to the size of Northumberland. They play an important role in supporting local eco-systems so good gardening practice is essential.
The Banrock Station garden at the Eden Project demonstrates that a positive impact can be made by making a few simple changes, from introducing water saving techniques to using FSC certified and recycled timber, planting a wide range of plants to attract wildlife and using locally supplied hard landscape materials.
Similar techniques were displayed at the recent Hampton Court Flower Show, where Banrock Station and the Eden Project teamed up once more to build a sustainable garden which went on to win a Silver Gilt award.
The gardens which Banrock Station has created at the Eden Project and the Hampton Court Flower Show are based on the same principles of sustainability and environmental responsibility which it employs in its native Australia. The Banrock Station Wine and Wetlands Centre in South Australia has been involved in projects to re-hydrate the drought-stricken River Murray, as well as contributing over £2 million in bottle sales to helping environmental projects worldwide.
Tony Sharley, manager of the Banrock Station Wine and Wetlands Centre has come up with the following tips for UK gardeners to improve sustainability:
Banrock Station Top Tips For Sustainable Gardening
Saving water: In a year the roof of a typical house in Britain will collect tens of thousands of litres of rain water. Take advantage of heavy downpours by directing this water into a water butt and using it to water the garden. Rain water is also better for your plants than tap water as it contains no chlorine additives. Also, in an hour, a sprinkler can use up to 1000 litres. Put into perspective, this is more than the average family of four get through in a day. Instead, make use of water collected in a water butt or use a hosepipe with a trigger nozzle, which reduces water wastage by approximately half.
Porous surfaces: Planted areas and porous paving materials allow water to be gradually absorbed into the ground and help minimise the problems of flooding. Look into paving materials (such as porous clay pavers) and reinforced soil surfaces to park your car instead of more hard surfaces.
Plant selection: Planting a range of different native and exotic species means that your garden will be better suited to withstand changes in the climate with minimal intervention. In freely drained soils or containers species such as yucca, lavender, thyme and sage are ideally suited to the British climate, and use little water.
Encourage wildlife: Instead of using artificial pesticides, encourage natural predators into your garden. Installing a bird feeder or even a pond, will attract birds and frogs which feed on slugs and snails, providing a more environmentally friendly alternative to harsh slug repellents. Banishing chemical pesticides from the garden may also attract species such as hedgehogs, whose natural habitats are already diminishing.
Compost: Use kitchen and garden waste to make your own compost - this is great for the soil and also helps conserve water, reducing evaporation by up to 75%. Mulching is also very effective.
Enjoy!: Getting out into the garden - to relax or garden - is a healthy and rewarding way to spend your time.
