Eco-fitting your garden is all about making it more self-sustaining, less wasteful of valuable resources, more reliant on renewable sources of energy and friendlier to wildlife. Eco-fitting will turn a garden that was previously drab, uninteresting and lifeless into an outdoor space that is biologically diverse, beautiful and productive, and much more planet-friendly.
WHAT IS GARDEN ECO-FITTING?
Eco-fitting a garden is similar to retro-fitting a house: it is the updating of any existing elements and the addition of new ones that were not there when the garden was originally made.
Before you set about ecofitting, first spend some time noting down how environmentally-friendly (or unfriendly) you think your garden might currently be. The basic tenets of eco-friendly gardening are:
Recycle all garden waste through composting.
Reduce garden energy use.
Harness and use renewable sunlight energy.
Harvest rainwater and use it wisely.
Improve soil with garden compost and green waste.
Create a thriving garden ecosystem by adding habitats and encouraging wildlife.
Grow flowers to attract beneficial pest-controlling insects and boost biodiversity.
Mulch to conserve soil moisture and stop weed seeds from germinating.
Create areas to play and relax.
Grow some of your own food.
Use reclaimed, recycled and sustainable landscaping materials.
Avoid the use of synthetic insecticides, fungicides and weedkillers.
Denne historien er fra August 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Denne historien er fra August 2020-utgaven av Country Smallholding.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
The Secret World Of The Honey Bee
Who knew that honey bees are the best builders? Nicola Bradbear from Bees for Development reveals how they build their parallel wax combs with extraordinary accuracy
Tip the light fantastic
The latest offering from Ifor Williams Trailers is the Single Axle Tipper, which is simply perfect for small-scale farmers
The legacy of The Good Life
The Good Life captured the public’s imagination when it first aired in 1975. On Country Smallholding’s 45th birthday, Jeremy Hobson looks at this and other programmes with a self-sufficiency slant that have captivated urban and rural dwellers alike over nearly half a century
‘The hens took shelter under the pig trailer in the paddock'
A tree Armageddon frightens poultry diarist Julian Hammer’s flock and leaves him with a mammoth clear-up job
Tools of the trade
In the second part of his mini-series on tools that are useful around the holding, Kevin Alviti takes an in-depth look at the iconic scythe, a thistle paddle and forks that were once virtually indispensable to small-scale farmers
The nightclub bouncer of the sheep world
Adam Henson waxes lyrical about the Texel, which boasts such a stocky body that it resembles a box of muscle on four legs
Buying on a tight budget
As demand for smallholdings increases and prices continue to rise, is there a way to achieve your dream without forking out a fortune? In the first part of a new mini-series, Liz Shankland explores the possibilities
Crazy for crafts
In an ordinary back garden and single paddock near Kidderminster, Kay Dalloway has created both a thriving smallholding and a successful fibre business — all while working full time for the NHS. Helen Babbs drops by to find out about her ventures
Game on
A little preparation in the autumn months will help to make the transition into winter smoother and put your garden and tools on a better footing come the spring, says Stephanie Bateman
1975 And All That
Country Smallholding is 45 this month. To celebrate, Jeremy Hobson takes a look at some of the changes — both good and bad — to small-scale farming over that near half-century
