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Taking better care of the environment is something we all need to focus a little more on. But whereas we often think about creating a sustainable home, the backyard garden ends up being oftentimes neglected. That happens mostly because some people consider their gardens to be already eco-friendly, while others simply don’t know what to do when it comes to incorporating green practices into landscape design and practices.
The truth is that the backyard might be, naturally, more environmentally friendly than our homes’ interior. But that doesn’t mean there’s no room for improvement. Read on to find out some of the best landscape and gardening tips you can use to transform your outdoor space into a beautiful, eco-friendly oasis.
1. Don’t Use Chemicals
It’s easy to purchase weed killer or bug spray to use in the backyard. But this is not a sustainable practice since the chemicals these items contain can be highly detrimental to your eco-friendly efforts.
Spraying chemicals all over your vegetable garden can cause the excess to be washed into the drains, and then into watercourses from where it gets absorbed into the soil. In either case, this will negatively affect the environment.
Instead of using chemicals, look for natural ways to remove weeds and reduce the number of pests in your backyard. One idea that is becoming more popular is to use ‘companion planting’. This means planting two different plant species together so that even if one is plagued with pests, the other will ward them off.
Birds are also excellent at removing insects from your backyard. That’s why, a great sustainable method is to install boxes and places where birds can eat and nest. Like this, you’ll encourage more of them to land in your little backyard farm and help you in your eco-friendly efforts.
2. Encourage Wildlife
It’s clear that having some wildlife in your backyard is a good thing. Think of the birds we mentioned above. So why not make a goal to encourage even more creatures to enjoy your garden?
Since each one of them has its own unique way of improving the environment, it’s important for us to maintain animal habitats where possible. Not to mention this is the ideal way to turn your backyard into an eco-friendly space.
There are dozens of different animals and insects you can encourage into your backyard. But if you want to start with something small that will make a big, sustainable impact, think of bees.
Scientists have been warning us for quite some time now that bees are in danger. But bees are an integral part of the ecosystem, and play an important role in providing high-quality food and products used in healthcare, thus taking care of them should be a top priority for all of us.
To attract bees, plant bright, open flowers so they will want to come to your backyard, and install ‘bee hotels’ so that solitary bees (bees that don’t live in a hive) have somewhere to rest.
3. Conserve Water
If you envision a carbon-neutral future for our planet, something that can be read about in more detail at https://geoffhirson.com/, then we need to do all we can when it comes to living sustainable and eco-friendly. Saving the water we waste when looking after our home and garden is one of the best ways we can do this.
And since you came to this page looking for ways to make your backyard a more environmentally friendly place to be, saving water in your yard is one of the simplest things to do.
Wondering from where to start? Just install a water butt at the end of every downpipe so that you can collect the water in it when it rains. You can then use this water to keep your backyard healthy, and ensure your plants and your homegrown fruits and vegetables are well watered, without using the hose.
And if you want to go a step further, you can use this saved rainwater inside your home too. It’s perfect for use in a toilet to flush it with, for example.
4. Plant Native Flowers And Trees
If you own a house with a garden, you probably heard this advice from other gardeners. But why are native plants so important for your sustainable backyard?
There are several compelling reasons why you should have native flowers and trees in your garden:
- Native plants preserve biodiversity ( think happy birds and bees )
- They are not invasive
- They are easy to grow and maintain
- Last but not least, they are beautiful
By using native plants in your garden, you are not only preserving biodiversity and enhancing the sustainability of your backyard, but you are also ensuring a legacy for future generations.
5. Decorate With Sustainable Materials
Did you ever think of decorating your garden with recycled objects and eco-friendly materials? Let us tell you that this too will make a great method to turn your backyard sustainable.
If you need a bit of inspiration, here are some ideas to help you get started:
- Don’t throw away broken furniture. Use it instead to plant flowers in it.
- Use bamboo or recycled wood for decks, patios and fences.
- Incorporate recycled metal and natural stone.
- Go to thrift stores and search for antique patio furniture to add a bit of old time charm to your backyard space.
We hope these 5 easy tips will help you turn your backyard into a sustainable, natural paradise, you will never want to leave. For more great suggestions on how to live eco-friendly, have a look at both our site, and our sustainable living blog.
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