Plan for the Long Term With a Sustainable Garden

Sustainability may be a lifestyle buzzword these days, but in gardening it's more of a philosophy than a style. Sustainable gardening centers around recycling and using renewable resources, accommodating biodiversity and conservation and adopting an organic approach to gardening.

In a sustainable garden, planting is key, and a healthy variety of wildlife habitats essential. Choose plants that thrive in existing conditions and complement each other, which in turn will help to reduce the likelihood of pests and diseases. Sustainable gardeners improve soil quality by using matter from their own compost heap and organic manures.

Extensive planting of prairie and meadow species is often used in larger sustainable gardens. Wilder areas can be planted in smaller gardens, too, aiming of providing a range of different habitats within a limited space, without creating an overly complex design solution.