If you’re lucky enough to own a garden then you’ll know the many joys that outdoor space can bring; including a place to relax, an entertainment area or habitat for local wildlife. You might assume that gardens are naturally environmentally-friendly, but there’s plenty you can do to ensure your space is as eco-friendly as possible.
If you’re looking to boost the environmental credentials of your garden and help wildlife to thrive, read on for our top tips to make your garden more eco-friendly.
Recycle your green waste
Gardening can generate a lot of green waste, including weeds, twigs, dead leaves and grass cuttings. Green waste releases large quantities of methane when left to decompose in landfill sites, so it’s much better to recycle or compost this material. Add green waste to a compost heap if you have one, or arrange for a professional recycling company to recycle it on your behalf.
Choose eco-friendly materials
Eco-friendly materials are much more sustainable and if you can source them locally, even better. Look for materials like reclaimed timber, recycled bricks, straw and bamboo. You could make your own planters out of recycled pallet wood, or use old railways sleepers as wooden borders for a vegetable patch. Upcycling materials is great too; try turning an old chest of drawers into a planter or use recycled glass bottles (or even plastic) to plant seedlings.
Plant native species
Choosing native plants is one of the most effective ways to attract more wildlife to your garden, which helps to make the space more eco-friendly overall! Native wildflowers are great for beginners as they’re easy to grow and maintain, and often more resistant to pests. Try a range of species to help attract bees and butterflies, such as honeysuckle, primrose, foxgloves and ox-eye daisies.
Make homes for wildlife
You can encourage biodiversity in your garden by creating homes and habitats to encourage wildlife. Biodiversity is essential to maintain ecological systems, so add bird boxes, a bird bath and bird feeders to encourage a range of species to visit. As mentioned above, wildflowers help to attract bees and butterflies and you could also make a ‘bug hotel’ from logs and twigs.
If you’re looking for green waste recycling in Belfast, get in touch with the team at Batesy Skip Hire. We aim to recycle 95% of all waste we manage on site at our waste transfer station and recycling centre, and we ensure that all practices are as eco-friendly as possible. Our recycling services can be tailored to suit your needs and we recycle a range of additional materials including timber, plastic, cardboard and general waste. For more information about our recycling services, give us a call today or contact us via the website.
