We live in an environmentally aware age and, therefore, it’s important that we start this awareness at home. Believe it or not, but your garden is an incredibly diverse ecosystem. But it needs the correct care and attention for it to thrive and be eco-friendly. Gardens, however, are very demanding. Accordingly, it’s difficult to maintain a garden on your own, and that’s why many people turn to a gardener. But how do you find an eco-friendly gardener?
What Makes an Eco-Friendly Gardener?
There are plenty of gardeners available to assist in maintaining your garden, but not all gardeners are equal. Whilst many will leave your garden looking fantastic, they won’t necessarily be eco-friendly. And this is why it pays to dig a little deeper and understand the processes behind a potential gardener’s output. Once you know what you’re looking for, you should be able to determine which gardeners satisfy the green credentials you are looking for.
All you have to do is evaluate the following:
- Look at their Social Media: most modern businesses will document their work on social media to demonstrate what they are capable of. And this provides you with a fantastic opportunity to evaluate their commitment to the environment. Do they, for example, post updates of attending recycling plants and disposing of waste material correctly? If so, this should represent a huge tick next to their name. Likewise, look at the type of work they are conducting, do their previous gardening jobs demonstrate an eco-friendly approach?
- Are They Conscious of Wildlife: it’s important that, in order to support a thriving ecosystem in your garden, gardeners are conscious of wildlife. Many animals will make their home in amongst the leaves, bushes and branches of your trees, so they need to be handled correctly. Disturbing their homes can cause significant damage to the local ecosystem. Discuss any concerns with your gardener to understand what their procedures are for maintaining the existing wildlife and how your garden can be more animal friendly.
- What Type of Materials They Use: reducing your carbon footprint is the backbone of eco-friendly behaviour, so it’s crucial that you evaluate the materials your gardener is using. Are they, for example, using biodegradable bags to transport waste material in? Are they using chemicals which could damage local plant life and animals? These are important questions and, if answered honestly, this should provide you with a further understanding of their eco-friendly outlook.
- Solar Power: garden lighting has moved on a lot over the last two decades, but the amount of energy involved in providing this is concerning. However, the emergence of affordable solar lighting has proven to be a useful counter to this concern. Therefore, speak to potential gardeners about their proposed lighting solutions and investigate how they plan to implement these. If their first choice is solar power, then you can rest assured that they are an eco-friendly gardener.
Choosing an eco-friendly gardener may, at first, feel like a daunting task. After all, how do you know what to look for and what to ask? Thankfully, by following the advice above, you should soon find that you are able to narrow your choices down into a worthy pool of eco-friendly gardeners.
For more information on eco-friendly gardening, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.