Gardening

If you have a garden or a small green space in your home, a few simple actions can make gardens more sustainable and contribute to protecting the planet. Here are some tips and ideas:

• Plant a tree - trees are brilliant at drawing down carbon from the atmosphere. A long-term plan to ensure trees and other greenery in Wokingham Borough is better cared for, and new vegetation planted has been developed. This will benefit both wildlife and local residents. For more information on our strategy visit Wokingham Borough Council Tree strategy
• Switch from mains to rains in your garden to save carbon. Use a water butt containing water that falls from your roof instead of turning on a tap from the mains supply or use a watering can instead of a hosepipe.
• Make your own compost – start with a base layer of soil which will help your heap get started and encourage the worms to move in and get busy. Add vegetable and fruit waste from your food caddy, coffee grounds, grass clippings and small plant clippings. You can add dead leaves, dead plants, egg-shells, small bits of cupboard or torn-up newspaper and straw.
• Plants for pollinators - Loss of habitat is one of the main reasons why we see fewer bees, butterflies and other insects visiting our gardens. Help by growing a wide variety of plants including a mixture of native, near-native and exotic plants to support pollinator diversity.
• Grow your own flowers - some imported flowers have up to 10 times the carbon footprint of home or UK-grown bouquets.
• Use electric - use power tools or mowers switched from fossil fuel to green energy, it not only reduces carbon emissions but also does not emit harmful particles in the air and reduces noise pollution too.