10 ways to climate gard10 proof your en
Try some of these simple changes to your gardening habits and you’ll help to reduce your contribution to climate change and cope with its impact
Create multilayered plantings
Plants help to reduce extremes of temperature in their surroundings by creating shade and by trapping air among their foliage. Layered plantings of trees, shrubs and perennials mimic natural woodland and moderate the microclimate in a garden. Also, covering buildings with plants – climbers, wall shrubs and green roofs – protects them from extremes of heat and cold, reducing energy use on heating and cooling systems.
Grow your own
Home-grown vegetables, herbs and fruit, eaten fresh and full of nutrients, are not only good for us, they’re good for the environment too. Eating our own seasonal crops and preserving summer harvests by bottling and freezing reduces our food miles and our reliance on imported food. Growing ornamental plants from seed has environmental benefits too, reducing the need to transport plants from far and wide.
>> For tips on growing your own, go to gardeners world.com/fruit-veg
Collect rainwater
Treating our mains water to make it drinkable and pumping it to our homes uses energy. So why waste tap water on plants? Instead, fit water butts to all your downpipes, from house roofs, sheds and greenhouses, to collect as much rain as possible. The less mains water we all use, the more energy is saved, reducing the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions. >> For more water-saving tips, go to gardenersworld.com/save-water
Make your own compost
Recycling garden waste at source in your own garden is the ultimate in sustainability. The alternative of taking it to a tip or using a local authority collection scheme involves carbon-emitting vehicles and equipment, even when the waste is made into compost. Making your own means you’ll also buy less bagged compost and mulch – both of which need to be transported to your garden, and also have ‘hidden’ carbon emissions in their production and distribution.
>> Learn to make compost at gardenersworld.com/compost
Install permeable paving
Using rolled gravel or porous paving allows rain to soak into the ground, reducing run-off and flash flooding during downpours. You can also incorporate planting pockets into hard surfaces so run-off flows into them, rather than into drains. This will also top up your water table, helping your plants to survive future dry spells. >> Make a path with planting gaps at gardenersworld.com/alpine-path
Use water to moderate temperatures
Adding a large or medium-sized pond to your garden will help to lessen the extremes of temperature. Water heats and cools at a slower rate than air, moderating the atmosphere around it. Victorian head gardeners knew this and put tanks of water in their glasshouses to cool the air in summer and keep off the worst of the frosts in winter.
>> Find out how to make a pond at gardenersworld.com/make-pond