5 Eco-Friendly Hacks to a Happier Garden




A whopping six million tonnes of organic wastes in Canada is produced annually, according to Waste Management World. Fortunately for the good of the earth, all of this waste can easily be converted to compostable fertiliser for your garden. With Earth Day not too far away, there are plenty of hacks to turn your garden into an eco-friendly paradise. Help our city of Calgary go green with these easy to implement changes to your garden. These five simple tasks will leave you with a stunning backyard paradise, giving the nature around you the chance to grow happily.

 1. Solar Lamps to Light The Way
One easy eco-friendly swap is to implement solar-powered lights and lamps. No need to reach for an outdoor outlet with the convenience of solar-powered lamps. With a variety of solar lamps, you can light your pathways, driveways, even your back porch sitting area. This eco-friendly hack not only saves electricity, but uses sustainable power sources.

 2. Choose Native Wildflowers
Planting native plants is a natural way to help your garden reach its full potential. Planting native wildflowers helps the local ecosystems flourish by planting wildflowers meant for the climate and conditions in your area. Choosing native plants not only helps the pH of the soil, but its eco-friendly to the world around: insects, animals, birds, and other plants. By searching the national database, you can search what type of plants fit best with the area in which you live. In Calgary, for example, the Great Blanket Flower is a wildflower native to the area. 

 3. Help Your Pollinators
Over 70% of plants are pollinated by bees, as reported by the American Culture for Science and Health. With a dwindling bee population, we must do what we can to protect these nature friendly pollinators. Make your garden more eco-friendly and protect bees by planting bee-friendly plants. The Honeybee Conservatory advises gardeners to plant flowering plants with open buds like daisies and marigolds. Additionally, planting at least three different types of flowering plants helps bees as well.

 4. Create a Bird Paradise
Another essential pollinator to take care of is birds. Create an oasis for your birds to help promote a greener garden. Situate a bird bath near plants to attract birds. Bird baths not only help them cool down, but act as a vital source to these singing songbirds. In addition, keep plants tall and high, like sunflowers, for birds to perch on. Consider putting a food source out for a variety of types to attract many species of birds.

 5. Make Your Own Compost
There's no need to head to the local flower nursery to purchase fertilizer for your plants. Making your own compost is an eco-friendly alternative to help your garden. Making your own compost involves a sealed container with kitchen scraps and trimmings paired with any other biodegradable material like leaves. Overtime a breakdown occurs, turning into rich soil fertilizer. This fertilizer not only helps plants, but makes bugs and worms happy.

 These five simple eco-friendly garden hacks will leave you with a stunning landscape oasis. With the garden you’ve created, you will be helping the ecosystems around you survive and thrive.

 Article contributed by Lucy Pendleton

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