Sustainable garden design Garden Design

Creating a sustainable garden can help increase biodiversity, provide an environmentally friendly solution for flora and fauna, while maintaining an optically impressive wow factor. When planning a garden design, there are a number of ways to plan ahead and incorporate sustainability right from the start.

The average house releases 45,000 liters of rainwater per year. Therefore, conservation and reuse is one of the most environmentally friendly ways you can help the environment and your garden. Landscaping with permeable surfaces allows water to penetrate the soil to aid filtration and slow the flow in drains and waterways. This reduces local flooding, which can have a significant impact on wildlife. Permeable surfaces can be designed so that the drain is directed to nearby flower edges or bedding. Crunchy gravel and slate chips or mulch are permeable alternatives to solid paving stones and give the hard landscaping a softer element. Other permeable materials include porous asphalt, block paving that allows water to penetrate the soil and also prevent subsidence problems.

Sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) mimic the natural effects of drainage systems by temporarily storing rainwater near the point of fall and then either slowly releasing it back into the pipeline network or allowing it to penetrate into the ground. SuDS are environmentally friendly because they do not cause long-term harmful damage, provide a more sustainable drainage system, and manage drainage volume and flow rate to reduce flooding.

Green roofs look great in any garden design and offer a sustainable solution by being ecological, ecological, financial and energy efficient. They help manage rainwater, provide isolation and habitat development for birds and other urban life. Various living mats are available that can be rolled onto a slightly sloping roof. Various types of plants are embedded in the mat, including robust types of grass and beautiful wild flowers. Sedum blankets are often used to increase biodiversity and look aesthetically good in any garden design. There are several layers under the living mat, including a waterproof membrane and layers for drainage, insulation and filtering.

Sustainability is about reuse and recycling, not just about composting and creating your own nutrient-rich soil (although of course you should too!). Careful examination of the materials used for sustainable garden design ensures that the wood used for decking is sustainable. Almost all terraces are imported into Great Britain. It is therefore important to ensure that the wood used for your garden design is sustainable. Green oak and chestnut give it a natural and rustic look, or for a richer, more modern look, the beautiful grain and color of hardwoods like Ipê and eucalyptus can enhance any garden design that includes seamless floors and extends the house into an outdoor living space.