Why should I garden with the environment in mind?

Eco-friendly gardening has many benefits for both people and planet, and you can make a difference in even the smallest garden

We can all make a difference

Gardens cover a huge area and are a massively valuable habitat

Everyone has opportunity to make a positive impact. Even a windowbox full of pollinator-friendly flowers will have an effect. There are about 30 million gardeners in the UK, and this has amazing potential if we all take a step in a greener direction. The total area of our gardens put together is more than half a million hectares – about the size of Norfolk!

The environment affects us all

Planted front gardens benefit both you and your community, and the wider environment

The choices we make affect the world our children will inherit

Plant a hedge or a tree in your front garden and you'll benefit from reduced pollution and noise, and so will the children walking to school along your road. These plants can also bring in birds, bees and a host of wildlife.

A totally paved front garden has no environmental benefits and actually causes harm by increasing flooding risk and reducing biodiversity. So get planting!

You can help fight climate change in your garden

Gardens can be hugely helpful in dealing with the causes and effects of climate change

Extreme weather events related to climate change such as floods and heatwaves are increasingly likely to affect you and your loved ones. Luckily, gardeners are in a great position to help tackle both the causes and effects of climate change.

Plants such as ivy can not only help keep your house cooler in summer and warmer in winter, while trees and hedges also reduce flood risks, capture carbon from the air and produce oxygen. Healthy soil can lock in lots of carbon too, helping keep it out of the atmosphere. What more could you ask for?

Eco gardening is easy gardening

A more relaxed approach to gardening is less work

Wild orchids can sometimes appear in un-cut lawns

Environmentally friendly gardening is all about working with nature rather than against it. Spending a bit of time selecting the right plant for the right place and for the right purpose will create a thriving garden, saving you lots of time and effort in the long run.

Either reducing or completely eliminating your use of garden chemicals is a really positive step for human and environmental health. It will save you money too.

Nature is incredibly powerful and great at regenerating itself; simple steps like taking a more relaxed approach to cutting your lawn can bring in a whole host of wildlife and some surprising wildflowers too.

Bye bye Mrs Tiggywinkle

Many species are currently on a path to extinction, and it's not just the cute ones but the bugs they depend on too

There are many indications that we're heading for a global 'Sixth Mass Extinction' – with more than a million species in danger of being wiped out entirely. Do you want to be part of the last generation to remember seeing house sparrows, bees or hedgehogs in its gardens?

If bees go, we go

Apples are just one of the many food plants that rely entirely on insect pollination to produce a crop

About 30% of our food relies directly on insect pollination. Wipe out the pollinators and no more strawberries, apples, almonds, raspberries... We need healthy, resilient natural ecosystems to help support a healthy, resilient food system.

Learning about key natural cycles (like those of carbon and water) and how ecosytems work is a great step on the way to being an eco-friendly gardener.

Plants to the rescue

Ultimately, what's good for the environment is good for humans too

Planted spaces not only help vital wildlife such as pollinating insects and help prevent flooding, they cheer us up too. Multiple studies have shown that exposure to greenery comes with a range of mental and physical health benefits. So ditching the block paving and the weedkiller might just be the best decision you ever made...

How to look after soil

How to look after soil

How to manage water

How to manage water

Planting for the environment

Planting for the environment