Sustainable Garden Design Service

Sustainability has become a popular and trendy buzzword of late, but what does it actually mean for you and how do you achieve it in your garden?

If taken literally its more of a lifestyle choice and mindset to be responsible and use the resources of the earth with as minimal an impact as possible, reusing or recycling materials that would otherwise be destined for landfills.

Now your garden does not have to end up looking like a junkyard and that's a common misconception, but with a combination of ethically sourced materials and innovative technology, you can create a unique looking space that has a lessened impact on our planet and works in harmony with nature.

Getting creative with recycled materials can be fun too, especially with an older house that already has its own charm and character.

We have seen some amazing features created using pre-loved items such as tin baths and even a rowing boat that can be planted up with stunning results.

There are plenty of sources of recycled materials such as reclamation yards, where we can often find some very unique and individual pieces that can be used again, breathing new life into a garden with charm and a new purpose.

With a little TLC to bring them back to life once more, but that's all part of the fun.

Green materials sourced and made by the local community feature strongly in sustainable gardens. Choosing them helps to reduce your carbon footprint as they come with a few pre-owned air miles already included, plus most of them use little or no cement, the production of which accounts for more than five percent of the world’s carbon emissions.

They also give gardens a ‘sense of place’ by linking them to the local surroundings, which is especially important in rural settings. Materials such as oak, rammed earth, log walls, woven willow, chestnut paling timber are full of character. You will need to consider cost versus durability more keenly than usual, but we can try to find local suppliers and craftsmen on your behalf.

Sculptures made with mainly natural materials make a great focal point in any garden.

Chestnut pailings used cleverly to add charm and interest recreating a cottage garden feel.

Using modern-day sustainable materials in gardens

We will always try to source materials and features, such as paving and pergolas, that have been sourced or built locally, as this will help reduce a garden’s carbon footprint and support nearby businesses.

For timber products and decking, we look for a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) logo, for wood originating from certified plantations.

Sustainability lies at the heart of the manufacturing process of Composite Decking.

Most decking materials are made from recycled resources and FSC 100% certified wood. For every M2, it's recycled the equivalent of 280 milk bottles or 3,000 caps, which could equate to 9,250,000 bottles in just six months of manufacturing. Most of the wood used is offcuts from the flooring trade, adding to the decking’s environmental benefits.

Invest in a Living green roof

Living Green roofs are becoming increasingly popular as they help increase biodiversity, provide good insulation, improve air quality and control water run-off – they’re also very attractive.

There are plenty of products available using different construction techniques – you can even retrofit an existing shed and garage if they are able to take the weight.

We would always recommend a structural survey for retrofitting.

Conserve water with rainwater harvesting

Encouraging Wildlife and increasing Biodiversity in your garden

Encouraging wildlife makes your garden far more entertaining, as well as helping with pest control – slug-eating hedgehogs and slow-worms love piles of leaves and logs.

Entice bees by choosing pollinator planting that flower throughout the year. Spring flowers are important for waking bees but are often overlooked; wallflowers, aubrietia and rosemary are all good pollen and nectar sources.

For summer, catmint, thyme and lavender are particularly good. Ivy in flower is great in autumn. To help solitary bees, a special bee hotel provides the perfect nesting site.

To attract birds that help with caterpillar control, erect nesting boxes and put out a variety of food. Song thrushes love dried fruit, blackbirds adore rotten apples, and sunflower seeds will attract chaffinches and blue tits.

Here at Organeco we have teamed up with a very select group of Garden Designers, that we believe share our vision, strong environmental ethos and Sustainability ethics.

This enables us to bring you a complete bespoke design service tailored to you and your garden.

Please note: Although initial discussions are free, the complete design service is chargeable.

To discuss your requirements further

Contact us