Compost
Divert your garden and food waste to composting, either at home or through a local council scheme. If they don’t have one, ring them up and ask for one to be set up.
Plant a tree
Trees suck up CO2 and make clean air for us to breathe. A tree planted in the right place near your home can provide cooling shade in the summer and save on air conditioning costs. Plant local species wherever possible.
Save water
Collect rainwater to water your garden.
Go wild
Let part of your garden grow freely and see what wild flowers appear.
Respect nature
Never take plants or pick flowers from anywhere in the wild.
Choose your bulbs carefully
Buy bulbs from cultivated stocks only. Ask your local shop or gardening centre for advice.
Stop using chemical pesticides
Try to use natural products instead.
Welcome birds
Birds eat aphids and other garden pests, reducing the need to use chemicals. Use traps, parasites and other natural predators such as ladybirds, to protect your plants.
Use plants that repel insects
Some herbs and flowers – basil, chives, mint, marigolds and chrysanthemums – mixed in with other plants help keep pests away.
Use natural alternatives to pesticides
Use neem oil and mix it up with some garlic oil to spray on tree trunks and diseased plants and shrubs. This works like a charm on pests, bacteria and fungus.
Remove weeds organically
Spray weeds with something to adjust the pH (acidity) in the ground around them. Try using some vinegar directly on the most stubborn ones.
Use organic compost and mulch
Compost and mulch improve soil health and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers.
Don’t use peat
Peat is taken from ancient bog land, destroying some of our most precious wildlife areas. Instead, make your own compost with grass clippings and vegetable scraps from the house.
Choose drought-tolerant plants
Try using catmint – it looks like huge lavender flowers but uses very little water. Pick only drought-friendly grass seeds that don’t require as much as water to maintain.
Save energy and get fit at the same time
Don’t use electrical equipment like leaf blowers. They consume so much energy for so little gain. Use a rake instead – it’s low impact and better for your health too!
Don’t pour it down the drain
Never pour antifreeze, oil or other chemicals on the ground, into storm sewers or down the drain. Always take these toxic substances to your local waste disposal facility.
Always choose sustainable-sourced wood
Don’t buy garden furniture or decking made of tropical hard wood, such as mahogany, unless the wood is sustainably sourced and has a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label.
Sit back and relax
Take time out to sit in your backyard with friends and family, and appreciate the beauty of nature!
Divert your garden and food waste to composting, either at home or through a local council scheme. If they don’t have one, ring them up and ask for one to be set up.
Plant a tree
Trees suck up CO2 and make clean air for us to breathe. A tree planted in the right place near your home can provide cooling shade in the summer and save on air conditioning costs. Plant local species wherever possible.
Save water
Collect rainwater to water your garden.
Go wild
Let part of your garden grow freely and see what wild flowers appear.
Respect nature
Never take plants or pick flowers from anywhere in the wild.
Choose your bulbs carefully
Buy bulbs from cultivated stocks only. Ask your local shop or gardening centre for advice.
Stop using chemical pesticides
Try to use natural products instead.
Welcome birds
Birds eat aphids and other garden pests, reducing the need to use chemicals. Use traps, parasites and other natural predators such as ladybirds, to protect your plants.
Use plants that repel insects
Some herbs and flowers – basil, chives, mint, marigolds and chrysanthemums – mixed in with other plants help keep pests away.
Use natural alternatives to pesticides
Use neem oil and mix it up with some garlic oil to spray on tree trunks and diseased plants and shrubs. This works like a charm on pests, bacteria and fungus.
Remove weeds organically
Spray weeds with something to adjust the pH (acidity) in the ground around them. Try using some vinegar directly on the most stubborn ones.
Use organic compost and mulch
Compost and mulch improve soil health and reduce the need for pesticides and fertilizers.
Don’t use peat
Peat is taken from ancient bog land, destroying some of our most precious wildlife areas. Instead, make your own compost with grass clippings and vegetable scraps from the house.
Choose drought-tolerant plants
Try using catmint – it looks like huge lavender flowers but uses very little water. Pick only drought-friendly grass seeds that don’t require as much as water to maintain.
Save energy and get fit at the same time
Don’t use electrical equipment like leaf blowers. They consume so much energy for so little gain. Use a rake instead – it’s low impact and better for your health too!
Don’t pour it down the drain
Never pour antifreeze, oil or other chemicals on the ground, into storm sewers or down the drain. Always take these toxic substances to your local waste disposal facility.
Always choose sustainable-sourced wood
Don’t buy garden furniture or decking made of tropical hard wood, such as mahogany, unless the wood is sustainably sourced and has a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label.
Sit back and relax
Take time out to sit in your backyard with friends and family, and appreciate the beauty of nature!
