In the garden
Vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide — so the more vegetation there is, the less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
No matter how large or small, cultivating a garden is a joy and a benefit to all.
Gardening is an occupation that is unrestricted to age. Children love having their own plot, watering it, caring for the plants and watching them grow. Many elderly people find enormous satisfaction in a garden, often cultivated over the course of many years, and are mines of information on soil type, local varieties and what will grow successfully.
If your space is very restricted you might like to apply for an allotment. Or develop a community garden. But it's amazing what can be grown in even the tiniest space.
With home-grown vegetables you can be sure that you have fresh, good-tasting produce that contains no chemicals or pesticides — and you can save money! If you live near a busy road, do test your soil for lead-levels though.
You can encourage native species by turning part of your available space over to wild flowers or grasses; help preserve native butterflies and other insects by planting species they find attractive. And through organic gardening, you can learn more about how nature protects itself and how we can act in ways that support that process.
Seek advice on what planting is appropriate in your neighbourhood. Gardeners love to share their expertise so don't be afraid to ask and so learn more about your world.
It can be difficult to realise that we are part of nature. Tending a garden can help us re-establish the links between ourselves and the earth.
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Start a garden or allotment |
If you have the space, you can create a garden immediately and, depending on your time, expand it to suit your needs. Or you can start an allotment garden, either by yourself or with friends.
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Try intensive gardening |
If your garden space is small, make the best use of it by cultivating small plots in which a variety of vegetation can grow. To do this effectively, use a compost heap, practise intensive soil conservation techniques and try mixed or companion planting. Learn how nature helps itself.
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Exchange seeds and seed information with other gardeners |
Save seeds from your own-grown produce. These seeds will have been climatically tested so their growth potential is known. You can then be sure that they are suitable to your locality and you can exchange them with other gardeners.
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Where possible, grow the foods you eat the most |
Growing your own food will save a lot of money! You will also reduce the energy used in the production and transport of commercially-grown produce.
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Don't use artificial fertilisers and agrochemicals |
Artificial fertilisers use significant amounts of energy in their production and nitrogen-based fertilisers generate nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas. Together with other agrochemicals, they contaminate soil and water and may indiscriminately harm insects, animals and birds.
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Cultivate a wide variety of plants |
Variety in your vegetation helps to offset damage from pests and disease. It also makes your garden attractive to a greater range of wildlife.
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Consult your local garden nursery |
Your local nursery should be able to provide information on the best native plants or plants from similar climates, making your garden easier to maintain.
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Support organic gardening organisations |
Becoming a member of organic gardening and sustainable agriculture organisations will provide you with helpful contacts for advice, information and seed exchange.
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Plant a wildflower garden |
If you don't want to grow vegetables or you have spare land, why not create a wildflower garden? Not only will this be a haven for natural diversity but you can also help re-establish rare wild plants.
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Encourage wildlife in your garden |
Plant trees and shrubs attractive to birds, bees and butterflies. Put up bird-tables or nestboxes to encourage a variety of birds into your garden.
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Develop a community garden |
Whether or not you have a garden of your own, a community garden, on waste land near your home, will provide a meeting-place for friends and neighbours. Find a suitable plot then see if other people in your area will join you in this initiative. You might set aside part of the garden for planting native species appropriate to the local conditions. This area can be used for educational purposes. It will maintain diversity and could help preserve species under threat from intensive agricultural methods.