New research from Ronseal found that 42% of people cited a lack of time or knowledge as a reason for not making their outdoor spaces more eco friendly, and part six in our series is all about finding quick and easy ways to make a big impact.
Compost
Compost improves the quality of your soil and provides nutrients for your plants. It is also a great way to get rid of kitchen and garden waste and it’s kind to the environment too as it prevents rubbish going to landfill. You don’t need lots of space to compost - bins come in all shapes and sizes. Just place your compost bin directly onto soil, in a reasonably sunny spot. If you don’t have soft ground then a hard surface is fine as long as you layer the base of the bin with gravel or soil to ensure the liquid doesn’t run. Try and avoid decked areas as it may stain the wood.
Once you’ve decided on your spot, fill the bin with kitchen and garden waste - you can throw in any natural waste from vegetables and fruit peelings to egg shells and twigs. It takes 9-12 months for the compost to be ready - keep topping it up through the year. Once it resembles a crumbly, dark, moist soil and has an earthy aroma you know it is ready to use. Conceal compost bins with gated timber trellising and stain with a coloured woodstain such as Ronseal Woodland Trust Colours to add some colour to your garden and protect the wood. 25p from each tin sold will be donated to the Woodland Trust to protect the native UK woodland.
Be plant-wise
Plants have endless benefits for the environment as they remove harmful toxins and carbon dioxide from the environment. Ensure you have a good mixture of plants including some that are indigenous to the UK as these are great for wildlife. Indigenous plants also encourage biodiversity as well as being easy to look after as they are well adapted to local soils and climate, and will grow in difficult areas. Ensure you grow a wide variety of plants and flowers as this will add interest to your garden – plants such as foxglove, honeysuckle, ivy, bluebell, daisy, buttercup, primrose and violets will provide beautiful colour.
Add a planter
If you’re really restricted by space or you don’t have a lawn or soiled area, planters or container gardens are a great way to brighten up areas such as balconies, decks and patios. Violets and narcissus grow well and look fantastic during spring whereas flowers such as petunias are ideal during the summer.
An added benefit of planters is that they will also act as a natural habitat for British wildlife in areas that may previously have been inhospitable, providing nutrients and shelter. Protect timber planters with an eco friendly wood preserver - opt for one that is water based such as Ronseal's Eco Clear Wood Preserver, as this is much kinder to the environment than solvent-based products.
Replace plastic/metal furniture with timber furnishings
Unlike plastic and metal, wooden furniture comes from natural sources. To prolong the lifetime of your wood furniture, use an oil such as Ronseal Hardwood Furniture Oil which will prevent your wood form greying and splitting. Alternatively, you can apply a stain which will not only protect your furniture from the effects of weathering but will also give you three year colour protection.
For more information visit www.ronseal.co.uk or www.WoodlandTrust.org.uk/Ronseal.
