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Eco friendly garden

Eco-friendly gardening focuses on working with nature to create a thriving, productive garden for humans, wildlife, and the overall ecosystem. The best eco-gardens are regenerative (self-sustaining), just as ecosystems in nature support themselves.

Growing your own food

1. Grow some of your own food right at home

One of the best (and most delicious) ways to make your garden eco-friendly is to grow some of your own food. Where I live, much of our produce is trucked in from other countries for most of the year. By growing some of your own veggies, herbs, and berries, you’ll decrease your reliance on food delivery systems which include emissions from large-scale farming, storage/refrigeration, and transportation. You’ll also have less grass to mow if a portion of your lawn is a garden!

Greens like kale are easy to grow and can be sown successively (and even in the winter in some areas). Perennial berry plants like blueberry bushes and raspberry canes are also excellent producers for the home garden (and pair well with larger companion plants). Fruit trees like apples can handle cold winters and the fruit can be stored for months in a cellar.

Even garlic is quite easy to grow at home (and is usually more flavourful than imported garlic). Garlic can be planted in the fall or early spring. The scent of garlic growing has the added benefit of organic pest control as many pest insects don’t like the smell. It’s a win-win for an eco-friendly garden!

Flowers from eco-garden

2. Make the effort to grow your garden organically

If you want your garden to be eco-friendly, it pretty much has to be organic. Organic gardening foregoes harmful chemicals like pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides in favor of working with nature to create a healthy garden ecosystem. Just because your garden is organic doesn’t mean it will be a bother to switch, though! You can read more about organic gardening here (including why it’s important).

Stop using any chemical fertilizers in your garden (hint – if it’s a bright color, it’s probably not organic). Also, make an effort to stop using any potting soil that contains chemical fertilizers or pesticides. There are such great organic fertilizers now. Here is a detailed article all about organic fertilizer.

Nitrogen and phosphorus pollution from chemical fertilizers used in both home landscapes and agriculture is now recognized as a major environmental issue. If you’re worried about other ways that non-organic gardening chemicals sneak into your garden.

Drying out pumpkin seeds

3. Choose untreated, non-GMO seeds and plants for your garden

An important part of eco-friendly gardening is to choose untreated, non-GMO seeds and plants. Fortunately, many heirloom seed companies have taken The Safe Seed Pledge, which details their commitment to collecting and distributing sustainable seeds that can be used safely by future generations.

Plants can be trickier to source. To find plants raised in an ecologically friendly manner, chat with your local independent nursery staff or your garden mentor. Many local garden clubs and universities host annual plant sales, which feature plants raised in organic gardens. You’ll be able to talk to the grower about how the plants were raised and ask them for tips! Best of all, your plant will come with its own unique story.

Eco-garden wildflowers

4. Embrace permaculture to help create an eco-friendly garden

No discussion of eco-friendly gardening is complete without mentioning permaculture. Permaculture is basically a unified grab bag of best practices for living sustainably. Many gardeners discover permaculture when they start to research companion planting or other organic gardening techniques.

If you’re the kind of gardener who likes to take derelict corners of city land and make them beautiful again, you’ll love the ideas that permaculture will open up for you. If you’re the kind of grower who likes to compare the carbon footprint of peat moss versus coconut coir in your garden, you’ll appreciate the data-based approach that many permaculture practitioners embrace. If you’ve planted deciduous shade trees that provide food for pollinators, keep your house cool in the summer, and let sunlight through in the winter, you’ll appreciate the function-stacking potential that permaculture unlocks.

An introductory permaculture book like Gaia’s Garden is an excellent place to start. You’ll likely consider taking your Permaculture Design Certification as you get more involved. I did mine a few years ago, and my garden is much more eco-friendly because of it.

Monarch butterfly pollinating spring blossoms in eco-friendly garden

5. Attract pollinators to your eco-garden

One of the most important aspects of an eco-friendly garden is to attract and support pollinators. Environmentally conscious gardeners can support pollinators by providing pesticide-free food sources, safe shelter, and access to clean water. Flowering plants attract pollinators, although not all pollinators are attracted to the same plants.

Having variety in your plants, including plants with various bloom times, will help attract and support pollinators. Pollinators and other beneficials like insect-eating birds will also be drawn to native plants. Consider planting a meadow portion of your lawn with wildflowers to act as a pollinator garden (you’ll save time and lawnmower gas).

One of the most efficient pollinators is the mason bee. Mason bee nests are becoming more and more popular. These little bees have amazing pollinating abilities but require specific shelter sizes and construction mud. You can ensure your local bees set up shop in your yard by installing a mason bee house (or bug hotel for whichever local pollinators you’re trying to attract).

Bird bath in wild garden

6. Support beneficial birds and bugs with your eco-friendly garden

Pollinators aren’t the only wildlife to attract to your garden. There are a host of beneficial birds and bugs that contribute to a healthy ecosystem. Seasoned organic gardeners love to attract and support pest predators and soil aerators to their gardens.

“There is a popular perception among gardeners that only native plants can provide benefits to native insects, birds, and other desirable wildlife species. But far from damaging native species biodiversity, introduced trees and shrubs have documented benefits for plant and animal species abundance and richness.”

Gardening with Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest, by Arthur R. Kruckeberg & Linda Chalker-Scott.

Insect-eating birds can be very helpful in the garden to keep pest populations in check. These birds can be attracted to the garden early in the season (before insects become a problem) by providing suet for them to eat. This will show them that your yard is a good place to set up shop for the summer!

Insect-eating birds also appreciate a source of fresh water in the hot summertime. Keep the water moving with a solar-powered floating fountain to discourage mosquitos from breeding in the bird bath or pond. These birds will reward you by eating slugs, grubs, caterpillars, snails, and mosquitos during the gardening season. If mosquitos are a problem in your garden, I like this Organic Citronella Essential Oil.

Butterflies such as the monarch are an important model species for ecologists when determining the health of an ecosystem. Many gardeners plant milkweed flowers in their eco-friendly gardens to attract monarchs by providing food for monarch caterpillars.

Ladybugs are another wonderful beneficial bug for the garden. Ladybugs eat aphids and are a well-established form of organic aphid management. You can even buy ladybugs to take home to your garden. Worms are also highly desirable in an eco-friendly garden. Worms help break down decaying plant matter and aerate the soil.

Long-lasting tools for gardening

7. Reuse your gardening supplies year after year

Reducing waste in the garden by reusing supplies year after year will help keep your gardening environmentally friendly. Plant pots left over after you buy plants can be re-used next year or donated to garden/horticultural/permaculture clubs (which often host plant sales and need lots of plant pots). You could even divide some of your perennials like peony, iris, and lily and give them out to friends in your leftover plant pots.

Seed starting trays are another item that can be re-used yearly (provided they’re properly cleaned). Most gardeners use plastic seed starting trays, but many environmentally conscious growers are moving towards using old-fashioned wooden trays. For starting finicky crops like squash, soil blockers are gaining popularity along with newspaper pot makers.

Glass and even plastic bottles can be reused as cloches to protect small plants from frost. Here’s a neat article about glass cloches, including why they’re used and how to make them yourself from old glass bottles. There are a ton of ways to reuse items in your eco-friendly garden!

Conserve water in your eco-garden by using rain barrels, swales, and planting native plants. Your eco-friendly garden will thrive with these water conservation tips! #waterconservation #waterwise #drought #droughttolerant

8. Conserve water in your eco-garden

Water conservation is a key part of an eco-friendly garden. Many gardeners choose to install rain barrels or swales so that they can direct rainwater to their gardens. Others have installed grey water systems or simply use dish rinse water to irrigate their gardens.

Tap water can be used in gardens if rainwater isn’t available, but it is often chlorinated. The chlorine can negatively affect soil and plant life in an otherwise eco-friendly garden. You can decrease the amount of chlorine in tap water for your garden by filling a watering can with tap water and allowing it to sit and off-gas overnight. When tap water is used in a hose, choose a water-wise method of irrigation, such as installing your own DIY drip irrigation.

Speaking of hoses, many gardeners choose to install a drinking water-safe hose for hand-watering plants close to the house (particularly container plants and raised beds). If you’ve ever had a drink out of a warm conventional hose in the hot summertime, you’ll know that the water tastes like chemicals! Drinking water-safe hoses, or RV hoses, are better options. 

For natural eco-friendly garden landscapes, choose water-wise plant varieties native to your region or growing zone. These plants have adapted to the natural amount of rainfall and are more likely to thrive with minimal irrigation. A nice layer of organic mulch such as compost will help to lock in moisture and keep the plants happy through the heat of summer.

Eco wood treatment - eco-friendly garden furniture and deck stain #ecowoodtreatment #ecostain #ecofriendly #woodtreatment

9. Choose natural or recycled materials for decks, furniture, and raised garden beds

If possible, choose untreated natural local building materials for garden structures such as fences, decks, built-in furniture, and raised beds. In our area, we are lucky to have a number of excellent sawmills that sell sustainably harvested lumber. Do some local research to find out which renewable building materials are available in your area.

When using wood, many gardeners choose to use sustainably harvested unfinished cedar for outdoor applications due to its resistance to rot. We recently replaced our cedar deck as it was just starting to deteriorate…25 years after installation!

Cedar does last a long time. Other woods likely won’t last as long, but that doesn’t completely put them out of the running. Other woods that are more prone to decay can be used in hugelkultur once their structural lifespan is over (as long as the lumber hasn’t been treated with chemicals).

Eco-friendly wood treatments for gardens

When choosing wood for your eco-friendly garden, stay away from pressure-treated wood. Pressure-treated wood is injected with chemicals that act as fungicides (and sometimes insecticides). While this is desirable in some applications (like utility poles), it’s best not to use this wood in your garden. You want to promote beneficial fungi and insects in your garden as they are a helpful part of the soil food web.

The only treatment I use on the natural wood in our garden is a non-toxic, VOC-free Eco Wood Treatment. It gives the wood a consistent silvery aged color (see our deck project for before+after photos). This treatment is a Canadian-made product that is free from harmful solvents and other chemicals. It’s been used in parks and other municipal settings where harmful chemicals are prohibited.

Recycled building materials for garden structures & furniture

If wood is not plentiful in your area, recycled options such as Trex composite decking are also available. Although more expensive, they have a quite long lifespan. Composite decking and furniture retain heat more readily than wood, which may be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the application.

Composite furniture is often fastened with aluminum fastenings. Aluminum is excellent for outdoor applications as it doesn’t rust like steel. Aluminum is also fully recyclable so it can be re-used once the furniture’s useful lifespan is completed. Note that aluminum recycling takes only 5% of the energy used to mine new aluminum, and it can be recycled over and over again (source). Almost 1/3 of the aluminum produced in the US now comes from recycled scrap! Choose aluminum if you can for your outdoor fastenings.

Eco-friendly garden lighting options

When considering your deck and other outdoor living areas, it’s also prudent to consider your lighting. Solar-powered lighting is common in outdoor areas as a way to reduce grid electricity use (and also to forgo having to run wiring outdoors). Lights are often pointed down at the ground to reduce light pollution. Conventional lighting can be controlled by installing an automatic timer to limit duration.

Hand holding garden compost learning how to make organic fertilizer

10. Make your own homemade compost to recycle waste from your eco-friendly garden

Making your own homemade compost is a great way to turn yard waste into nutrient-filled compost for your garden. By composting yard waste, you’ll keep your excess organic matter on site and put it to good use. One of the easiest ways to compost is to make leaf compost in the fall for use during the next gardening season.

If you’re short on space, vermicompost (worm composting) is a great alternative. Indoor worm composting has become more common lately, with some gardeners making their own DIY worm composters and others choosing a worm composting kit.

And if worms in your house gross you out (like me), the Lomi composter is a fantastic option. I use it for kitchen scraps and houseplant trimmings.

Mary Jane Duford
Mary Jane Duford

Mary Jane Duford is a quintessential Canadian gardener. An engineer by trade, she tends to an ever-expanding collection of plants. In her world, laughter blooms as freely as her flowers, and every plant is raised with a dash of Canadian grit.

Mary Jane is a certified Master Gardener and also holds a Permaculture Design Certificate. She's also a proud mom of three, teaching her little sprouts the crucial difference between a garden friend and foe.

When she's not playing in the dirt, Mary Jane revels in her love for Taylor Swift, Gilmore Girls, ice hockey, and the surprisingly soothing sounds of bluegrass covers of classic hip-hop songs. She invites you to join her garden party, a place where you can share in the joy of growing and where every day is a new opportunity to find the perfect spot for yet another plant.

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