Garden
Our gardens can bring us closer to understanding ecosystems that underpin life on this planet and how to live in harmony with the earth. By creating a beautiful, efficient and productive garden in your home, you can learn the rhythms of nature and our humble role in it. So how can we let our green thumbs align our gardens to the sustainable path?
 | Mulching your garden beds improves soil health and prevents water loss through evaporation. more » |
 | Nurture and conserve biodiversity Create an urban refuge for local biodiversity and enjoy the visual elements, the sounds and serenity of nature in your own backyard. more » |
 | With less rainfall and hotter weather predicted in the coming decades, we need to go with the limited flow and create water-wise gardens. more » |
 | Would you like to eat fresh food that's good for you and the planet? Get into gardening in your own backyard. more » |
Environment
Our gardens are perhaps the easiest part of our lives to make sustainable and two paths appear to describe the environmental choices in the garden. On one hand we can have the productive garden with veggies and fruit trees. This is an efficient and sustainable way to grow food (no transport) and any extra water used is simply offset by the water saved by not buying food produced elsewhere. On the other hand there is the non-productive garden that is sustainable through its alignment to its conditions. This garden requires no external resources (i.e. water, fertiliser) to survive and thrive. If you can achieve both these paths in one garden you're doing very well.
Wellbeing
Gardening is good for your heart and soul. It puts you in direct contact with the natural systems that give us life through food. The food grown in your garden is fresh, free of toxins and somehow more satisfying for you having grown it. The process of gardening improves your mental health by helping you relax and unwind. It improves your cardiovascular fitness as well as your flexibility, endurance and strength.