Gardening sustainability: what's shaping the future?

The horticulture industry has long been flying the flag for environmental responsibility, but never more so than now with climate change concerns intensifying, and also the natural world offering respite from challenging news stories and busy lives. But what are gardeners doing to minimise their footprint?

Reducing plastic waste

Alternatives to garden plastics have been popping up all over the place - from reusable and biodegradable types of pots, made from materials like coir, seaweed or rice husks, to plant labels made from wood, slate, or even old upcycled cutlery - and everything between. It is a topic gardeners are passionate about, and products they are proving to be hungry for.

Wildlife-friendly gardening

A large part of the sustainability movement is sharing your growing space with creatures from the natural world. While it is true that there are certain visitors to the plot that we will never exactly be happy to see (we're talking about you, slugs!) there are plenty of ways in which keeping your garden wildlife-friendly, and chemical-free, which may even improve your productivity! One example is setting up a hedgehog house - these spiky critters will munch on your slug population happily, in return for a safe space to hibernate and raise their young.

Sustainable soil

It is the very life-force behind our plants, so soil is one of the most precious things a gardener has. And keeping it sustainable is big news for the 2020 growing season. This means cutting out peat-based composts, and relying on alternative options. Charles Dowding's no-dig is also proving to be very popular in this area, which reduces damage to soil structure and helps your ground thrive.

Produced in partnership with Grow Your Own. Glee and Grow Your Own will be hosting the Great British Growing Awards at Glee 2020 on Tuesday 15th September.