In the wake of COP26, I got to thinking about our own working practices (I run a landscaping business as well as a garden design studio). What more could landscapers and gardeners do to combat climate change?
Waste is sometimes an issue for us - not so much the garden clearance - we use a skip company that promises to recycle just about everything we send them - but what happens when we've left site? Especially if the clients have opted to 'do' the planting.
Buying plants based on how they look in the garden center is a big mistake. Yes, you can create a beautiful display, but will it last? Very often plants chosen for their aesthetic fail to thrive because they don't enjoy the microclimate they've been moved to. Either that, or they grow too fast and outcompete their neighbours. All that leads to unnecessary waste.
Investing in a planting plan - whether it will be you doing the supply and install, or your client - goes a long way to cutting out waste. We're not just talking about wasted plants either. There's the money that the client invests in them, the money needed to replace them, the energy and the growing media needed to propogate them and the carbon footprint associated with transporting them from the nursery to the garden.
This blog, published today, is all about climate change, cutting wastage and making the most of every planting opportunity.
I'd love to hear your ideas for cutting waste...I know that there's a lot more I can do and I'm interested in other people's ideas and experiences.
https://mygardendesign.co.uk/planting-plans-to-help-combat-climate-change
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