Jen Chillingsworth - Grow Green: Tips and Advice for Gardening with Intention

With rising temperatures across the globe and the reality of climate change now hitting home, it is more important than ever that we consider our actions in every area of life. This includes gardening an activity we tend to think of as inherently green. However, the energy consumption of power tools and lawn mowers, the manufacturing and transportation of horticultural products and the overuse of artificial fertilizers can all have a negative environmental impact on the planet.

There are many simple ways we can make a difference. Harvesting rainwater, choosing peat-free potting compost, growing our own food and providing a home for wildlife are all good ways to become a more eco-conscious gardener. Digging a little deeper, there are lots of other ways we can utilize our gardens or skills to be greener, such as growing cut flowers instead of buying imported, drying herbs to use in cooking, upcycling junk into planters or joining a community garden project.

Urban gardens play a vital role in helping to combat the problems of climate change. Planting trees and bushes can help to prevent rising levels of air pollution and keep temperatures cooler. If there are periods of intense rain, plants and trees can slow the runoff of water and reduce the pressure on urban drainage systems. They can also offer homes to birds and other wildlife and provide bees and other pollinating insects with a much-needed food supply.

A green gardener is essentially a thrifty gardener, buying less and choosing second-hand. You use up what you have and find ways to reduce your waste. From repurposing household plastics, making your own compost and turning food waste into liquid fertilizer to feed growing plants that have multiple uses for attracting pollinators and deterring pests.

At home, I have a tiny courtyard-style garden where I grow edibles, flowers, herbs and climbers. I love watching how this garden changes through the seasons, from the calm, soothing greens and gentle colours of spring to the warming reds and rust shades of autumn (fall). In early spring, my neighbours cherry tree flowers and turns the entire garden a bright shade of pink, with the merest hint of wind creating a shower of blossom.

In summertime, the rickety fence is engulfed by clematis, honeysuckle and jasmine. Old terracotta pots are filled with wildflowers and perennials, junk watering cans overflow with ginger, mint and sage, sheltering our resident hedgehogs house from potential predators. Chamomile Treneague springs up between the cracks in the paving, releasing its intoxicating scent when gently stepped on. Peas and beans in a dizzying array of colours wind their tendrils around bamboo canes, whilst bees and butterflies forage for nectar on salvias and echinacea. I cut bunches of poppies, wild carrot, cosmos and sweet peas to bring into the house, filling earthenware pots and flea-market vases to decorate my mantelpiece. Strawberries, raspberries and blackberries are turned into jams and preserves. Tomatoes are canned and made into pasta sauces.

When autumn beckons and the leaves from neighbouring trees turn golden brown and fall to the ground, I rake them up and add them to the compost heap. The hedgehog curls up in her cosy home to hibernate for winter. Robins, blackbirds and squirrels visit the feeders, feasting and gathering supplies to see out winter.

This tiny garden is my happy place. I can sit at the rusty table with a cup of coffee for hours, listening to the birds chirping in the trees and simply watching nature do its thing. I dont notice the sound of the traffic on the roads nor do I feel the need to check my phone for notifications. Its an escape, an oasis in the middle of a busy city.

You dont need a big garden to grow things, in fact you dont even need to have a garden! A couple of pots by your front door or on a balcony, a window box or even a small seed tray on a kitchen windowsill can all produce wonderful results. There are lots of ways to garden inside the home vertical plant walls, bokashi composting, microgreens and mushroom kits to name just a few.

This book is an introduction to eco gardening, from making your own fertilizer with leftover food, reducing energy consumption, conserving water and growing organically, to dealing with pests and diseases. It will hopefully inspire you to think more about biodiversity and how to introduce native species and encourage more wildlife into the garden. I also hope it will make you look closer at what you buy in the garden centre or grocery store and with a little work, you could be growing flowers, fruits, herbs and vegetables at home in a more sustainable way.

This chapter looks at the small changes that can make our gardens more sustainable. Many of these involve modifying our habits so they become part of our daily lives.

A good place to start is with the five guiding principles: refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rot. By applying these principles to the garden, you become more mindful of resources and reduce the amount of waste you produce. Before buying any equipment or tools, think whether you can repurpose or borrow an item. Do you have a local plant nursery or lumber yard who can supply you rather than travelling to a large DIY store or garden centre?

Single-use plastics cause huge damage to the environment, so reusing or repurposing plastics can offer a practical solution to the problem. In the garden, household items such as plastic milk bottles and cleaning sprays can be turned into vessels for watering whilst egg boxes and plastic fruit punnets are useful for seed sowing.

One of the most impactful ways to help the planet is to use less water. In warmer weather our water consumption soars, forcing suppliers to use groundwater and pump water from rivers and streams. This causes harm to the wider environment and threatens animal habitats. By making a few simple changes, such as growing drought-resistant plants or using moisture-retaining containers, you can significantly reduce the amount of water you use.

I have also shared other ways to help make your garden more sustainable. From planting trees or hedges that reduce air pollution to choosing hard landscaping materials, each plays an important role in creating a green garden.

If you are new to organic gardening or want to make some changes to the way you already garden, one of the best ways to start is to look at the equipment you have or need to buy. When choosing tools, buy the best you can afford as these will be of a higher quality and should last longer. Test garden tools for comfort and size before purchasing, too. Condition any wooden handled tools by treating them with a drop of linseed oil on a cloth, and if the handle is damaged look online for a replacement. Car boot sales, garage sales, junkyards and vintage and salvage fairs are great places to look for used tools and watering cans if you dont want to buy new.