For many of us, gardening is one of the greatest delights there is. It is where we get as close to our planet as we possibly can, using its gifts to create something wonderful whether that be a stunning flower bed or a vegetable patch. When you get into gardening as a hobby, you will very soon come to the realization of just what a miracle our world is. As a result, you’ll want to keep working on it and seeing those results.
As gardening gets you more in touch with the planet, it’s likely that you’ll get to thinking about the environment. It’s always nice to get something from the earth, but what about putting something back? In among our busy lives, we can do a lot through our gardens to help out our planet – which is going through a difficult time right now.
The greenest lawn is no lawn at all
The old saying goes “the grass is always greener on the other side” – but if your neighbor has a lush, green sward in their yard, it’s not something to envy. In actual fact, it’s not a good thing at all. By and large, a lawn is useless – it’s just grass, which is of no practical use – and it takes a lot of natural resources to maintain, which is bad for the environment. If you’re going to plant or seed anything, make it a food crop or something bee-friendly. If you want seating space, call a composite deck builder and look at creating an outdoor zone for chilling and dining. Forget about lawns; whatever anyone else might say, they’re simply wasteful.
Create a space for nature
As well as lessening the toll on the planet’s resources, your garden can offer some refuge for some of the Earth’s other inhabitants, too. It’s up to you how far this goes, but you can set up a variety of spaces to assist creatures. Bird tables and houses are one obvious example, but you could also set up bee hotels around the garden for the benefit of a creature that is essential to our planet’s ecosystem. If you’re feeling ambitious, you might even create a small house where raccoons or other mammals can shelter from weather or escape from predators.
Collect and reuse rainwater
If you live in one of the rainier parts of the country, then there is no point getting frustrated when weekend plans are washed out by precipitation. If life gives you lemons (in the form of rain), make lemonade (by collecting that rainwater in a water barrel). This water can then be used for watering plants and washing anything from garden tools to exterior windows. Indeed, it can become a vital water supply in the case of drought – a condition that is becoming more common as summer temperatures continue to creep up due to climate change.
There is no doubt that our planet is going through a testing time right now, but by doing the right things in your garden you can help make things better.