gardening for
climate change
A FEW TIPS FOR BUILDING AN
EARTH-FRIENDLY BACKYARD.
Wor d s Sophie Kalagas
CONSIDER YOUR SOIL Before you think too hard about whichplants
to whack in your garden, it’s worth spending some time considering
the soil itself. Give it a boost with some organic compost(simple
scraps from your kitchen will do the trick), which holds moisturefor
longer, plies your plants with health-bringing nutrients, andtraps
atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO²), a harmful greenhouse gas.Avoid
excessive digging and tilling, as it releases that CO² backintothe
air. As for fertilisers, use them sparingly – especially chemical-filled
varieties. Most contain nitrogen, made by burning lots of naturalgas,
and release nitrous oxide – a major contributor to global warming–
as they break down.
CHOOSE PLANTS WISELY Though any plant you add to yourgarden
will help increase oxygen in the atmosphere, some types aremore
climate change-friendly than others. Drought-tolerant specieslike
wattle, lavender, bougainvillea and any succulent won’t guzzleup
loads of water; meanwhile, plants that are native to yourareawill
adapt well and provide food for local wildlife. Most importantisto
create a varied, thriving ecosystem featuring annuals, perennials,
shrubs and trees. Precious pollinators like birds, bugs andbees
won’t be able to keep away, and your garden – plus the broader
environment – will be all the stronger for it.BUILDABEE HOTEL Speaking of bees – those fuzzy, buzzy critters
playavitalrole in pollinating our gardens, so you might like to whip
themupaplace to stay (an AirBeeNBee, if you will). Find somewhere
sheltered,slightly elevated and close to water and pollen-rich plants,
thenit’stime to begin construction. You’re best off sticking to natural
materialslike logs, timber, clay and bamboo, drilling deep holes of
differentsizes so any bee can fit. They’ll also happily nest in mounds
oftwigsand bark – just make sure your ground-level hotel is out of
theway,safe from errant pets and big, stomping feet.
LOCATION,LOCATION What if we told you the placement of greenery
inyourgarden could affect the size of your energy bills? Shelter
fromwell-positioned trees or hedges can act as insulation in winter,
reducingthe impact of chilly winds on your home and giving you less
reasontopump your ducted heating (and thus, spew carbon dioxide
intotheatmosphere). In summer, extra shade leads to cooler,
aircon-freedays – a simple and energy-efficient way to take on the
crazytemperatures caused by climate change.
DON’TBEA WALLY Water. It’s kind of important. So why not set
upasystemin your garden that makes efficient use of the precious
resource?Consider a rain storage barrel (also known as a water
butt–teehee) or a ‘rain garden’ – a special garden bed that
collectsrainwater runoff from the roof, giving your plants a drink
andslowingthe water’s entry into stormwater drains. If you have
themeans,a drip irrigation system could be useful, too. It runs
onatimer,releasing just enough moisture at the coolest, most
water-efficient times of day.
GROWYOUR OWN VEG There are plenty of reasons to grow your own
fruitandveggies at home: you’ll spend less at the supermarket; have
aproductive, wholesome hobby; avoid unnecessary packaging; and
reduceyour exposure to nasty pest-killing chemicals. If your space
doesn’tallow for a thriving crop, though, try shopping for produce at
localfarmers’ markets. You’ll support smaller growers and cut down
onCO²omissions from trucks delivering ‘fresh’ goods long distance.
(Apparently,our food travels an average of 2500 kilometres before we
chowdown,which is quite the carbon footprint.)try this at home