Sustainability in Gardening: Not Just A Trend

The gardens at this year's Chelsea Flower Show prove that sustainability is not a fleeting trend, but the focus of gardens of the future, providing inspiration for gardeners around the world

- MADISON MOULTON

Garden trends are known to come and go. That is, after all, the nature of a trend. Design focus sways between the formal and the informal, popular materials change throughout the years, and plants of the year (bar the classic garden staples) are traditionally in flux. But the gardens at this year's Chelsea Flower Show indicate that the push towards sustainability in gardening - thought of as a passing trend by some in recent years - is likely to become the foundation of gardens of the future.

Gardening often seems like an inherently sustainable activity. Growing plants and caring for nature is part of the process. But in practice, gardeners can often be more harmful than helpful to the environment. Whether it's the loss of habitat for local wildlife to be replaced by empty spans of lawn, the use of harmful chemicals to kill pests and weeds, or the frequent use of unsustainable materials and the creation of waste, previously standard gardening practices are now coming into question.

This is by no means a universal belief. Sustainability in gardening can be quite controversial, sparking heated debates about movements like rewilding lawns and embracing weeds. But if one of the largest flower shows in the world, known for defining trends and producing innovative designs, puts sustainability at the forefront, the path forward in these debates becomes much clearer.

What does this mean for the average gardener, and the average South African gardener in particular? While a complete overhaul of our backyards isn't feasible for most, there are small steps that everyone can take to create more sustainable gardens that can help local environments and by extension, the global environment. The responsibility is not on individual gardeners' shoulders, but collectively. gardeners do have the ability to make a difference.

RECYCLE, RECLAIM, REUSE