Homeowners across the UK and worldwide are finding ways to help vulnerable wildlife in their gardens as environmental protection becomes increasingly important.You can create a wildlife-friendly garden with numerous low-maintenance methods, from relaxing weeding to allowing your lawn to grow in the warm months. These measures are urgent because over 40 percent of animal species have declined significantly in Britain in the past five decades due to loss of habitat. Here are our top environmentally friendly gardening tips for 2022.
Grow your own produce
Your own produce is full of superior-grade nutrients, free of industrial pesticides, and has zero air miles. If you are already growing your own, you can take it a step further and start making your own soil. You don’t need much to do this; just some garden waste, kitchen scraps, shredded paper, and a compost bin. Avoid using plastic in your garden, if possible. Instead, use metal tools. They are more durable than plastic ones anyway. Use plant-derived biodegradable pots.
Growing your own produce has many benefits beyond being environmentally friendly. A successful vegetable patch is even more satisfying than a successful flowerpot. This is not a new trend by any means; Brits have been doing it for decades and even lack of space is not stopping us. Sales of large veggie and fruit varieties went up by almost 60 per cent in the last 24 months.
Tips for 2022: hanging fruit baskets, container plants, recycled wooden pallets, and mini propagators will be the new thing. PI Gardening’s experts will be happy to give you further tips and advice on produce growing.
Related: Here we show some cool ways of upgrading your garden.
Start small
If you’re new to this, start with easy plants like tomatoes and chillies. For your windowsills, look for succulents like aloe to achieve an amazing internal balance. Use non-plastic tubs and products that don’t contain peat to reduce your footprint and forgo taps and garden hoses in favour of water butts to collect your water in.
The urban gardening revolution
It is a fact that green spaces are becoming more and more limited. However, renters and homeowners in more built-up areas will tell you that spaces may be diminishing, but opportunities are not. Trellis, plant stacking, and rooftop gardens are all fabulous ways to save space and keep up the good gardening. Porches and front doors throughout the UK are adorned with natural, breathtaking decorations. There will be a lot more vibrant colours than before in 2022 as well as a shift of focus to walls and fronts of houses.
Plant power
Given the health and environmental benefits of a plant-based diet, more companies and individuals than ever are making a conscious choice to reduce the animal products they consume and produce. Plants that are high in protein can supplement the other sources of protein in your diet.
Why not try growing your own protein? It is eco-friendly, easy, fun, and interesting. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are easy to master. You could opt for unrefined grains like amaranth and quinoa, super seeds like flax and chia, and almonds, hazelnuts, and other nuts high in protein.
Sensory gardening
Many of us get ideas and inspiration from social media these days. An appealing aesthetic is what social media love most, and few things can be as pleasing to the senses as an “immersive” garden. Today, planting schemes are focused on colour, texture, aroma, and other themes. In the past, there was always one central focus or theme. In 2022, that’s no longer the case. Many gardens all around the UK are little enclaves, not open spaces, what with additions like canopies or wall-climbing plants. It feels, smells, and looks like immersive gardens aren’t going anywhere.
Health and happiness
More than two-thirds of Brits say gardening relaxes them and increases their level of satisfaction with life in general. We always suspected gardening made people happy, but now there is proof. The health and happiness tendency means we’ll be seeing more and more pot plants like lavender, aloe vera, herbs, and spider plants. With “clean living” becoming even more popular in 2022, it doesn’t seem like these plants will be going anywhere.
Be kind to our furry friends
Bees are critical not only to food supply, but to the environment in general. They are powerful little economy generators that are involved in every facet of the ecosystem as pollinators. A third of all food production is dependent on pollination. Bees sustain plant, flower, and tree growth. They help keep plants that serve as food and shelter for other species alive.
Across Europe, bees are dying from Colony collapse disorder, largely due to pesticides. This is why we’re happy every time we see a bee-friendly garden. Bees love snowdrops, honeysuckle, and lavender. You should plant at least one of these, either in containers or as bedding.
Related: If you want to keep the cats out of your garden – we have the read for you!
Final thoughts
We are really enthusiastic about how gardening has become a fun, free time hobby and isn’t perceived as a tedious task anymore. We’re also very happy that awareness of environmental issues has increased among the general population.Our goal in 2022 is to reverse pollution and ecological damage by growing crops, adding green space to cities, and saving bees. PI Gardening will continue to update you with the best gardening guides, furthermore if you need garden maintenance services in London and surrounding areas, you can always call us!