Want to reduce your outdoor carbon footprint this year? Low carbon gardens will be one of the highlights of this year's Chelsea Flower Show in London - but what are they?
Well, they prefer more plantings to the landscape, creating a softer, more planted space that is usually greener and "will also pay off with the abundance of wildlife you'll be able to enjoy," explains this year's award-winning designer Harry Holding. . Chelsea Flower Show Garden is not permitted.
But it's more than that. To create a low carbon garden, minimal energy must be used and the materials, products and contents of the garden must have a low environmental impact, i.e. the total amount of carbon (or energy) used in creation and processing. And transport the product.
This year's WaterAid Garden at Chelsea will use sustainable plantings and advanced technologies to combat climate change, using challenging landscaping choices, plant species and recycled materials, explains Chelsea Gold Medalist Tom Massey, designer and author of the RHS Resilient Garden (DK). . And if you want a low-carbon garden, water conservation plays an important role.
Difficult landscapes
“You have to think about how beautifying your garden will be,” Massey says. “Hard materials have a larger carbon footprint than soft landscaping (plants and soil), but their carbon footprint can vary quite a bit.”
“For example, concrete has a larger carbon footprint than gravel. It all depends on the amount of energy needed to produce the material. “Concrete has a high percentage of cement, and cement is a high-energy material to manufacture.”
Natural stone has a low environmental impact as it requires minimal processing to reach the final state of the material. It is mainly taken from the ground, processed by sawing, cutting (shaping) or carving, and then ready for use. He explains that not many processes are needed to produce it.
He adds that the wood used in flooring and furniture can have a negative carbon impact if the trees are sustainably grown and harvested close to the home. “The trees come from sustainably managed forests, so when they cut down trees, they're replacing them and they won't be cut down as often.”
Reuse materials
“When you reuse, repurpose or recycle materials, the carbon has already been used to produce them, ends its life somewhere else and then you use it again, further reducing your carbon footprint.”
“There are discussions about longevity and the carbon impact,” he continues.
“For example, softwood is low carbon and may come from a forest that may absorb carbon, but it won't last as long in your garden, so you'll need to replace it more often than natural stone or precast concrete pavers. It can last 100 years without fading once again."
Look for anything recycled or pre-existing, such as recycled rocks or gravel, and try to find the materials close to where you live, he suggests.
“For example, if you buy gravel from an Irish supplier closer to your area, the gravel shipped from the other side of the world to get to you will have a lower carbon footprint than buying from China, for example.”
Soft landscape
“Plants can really help reduce your carbon footprint. Trees absorb carbon from the air and can hold it in the soil with their roots, and this applies to all plants,” Massey explains.
Making sure you have plenty of soft areas with lots of plants will help your carbon footprint, but try not to disturb the soil too much with excessive digging or constant cultivation, as this will release carbon from the soil.
Perennials you leave in the ground create a smaller carbon footprint than annuals you dig up after flowering.
'Think about the balance between hard and soft landscaping. Do you need a big yard or can you split it up a bit and plant more?'
Get the most out of trees
“The best trees for carbon sequestration are usually large, fast-growing trees, such as sycamores, tulips and black trees,” says Tom Stuart-Smith, an award-winning landscape designer from Chelsea, whose garden is part of this year's National Parks Scheme. Walnuts, from the local forests with displays of hazelnuts and shrubs. He will celebrate his greatness
Consider coverage
If you live in an urban area, some protection is helpful for certain pollutants and carbon sequesters, such as yew or Cotoneaster franchetii, Massey suggests. He adds that evergreen species with thick, rough or hairy leaves are good at trapping pollutant particles.
Make grass grow longer
This will give them more time to absorb carbon from the air and benefit pollinators when the wildflowers bloom.
Use small plants
If you plant smaller plants, you'll disturb the soil less and have a better chance of planting, Massey says. Instead, grow from seed. “Reduced crop production, plastic in containers, time needed for transportation, irrigation and storage, all of this costs money, energy and carbon.”
If you don't have time to grow from seed, you can buy and grow bare-root plants (when dormant in winter), usually wrapped in newspaper, rather than in a plastic container filled with compost. He advises them to fall to the ground.
Rain water collection
“Collecting rainwater and storing it in tanks has less carbon than runoff water, which requires significant treatment to make it safe to drink,” Massey says.
