Last year, I started a veggie garden, in the large area we have at the side of the house, with varying success.
We had some broad beans, beetroot and swede, a few peas, carrots and parsnips, lots of (green) tomatoes, two pumpkins and mountains of courgettes! Potatoes, celery, and leeks really struggled, the sweetcorn never appeared and the brassicas were mostly munched by hordes of hungry caterpillars.
I decided … well, really, I have made few decisions, as such, about this garden. The basic shape evolved from the paths created by us wheelbarrowing in 18 tonnes of top soil (recycled from some agricultural works).
The soil was filled with stone in various shapes and sizes from tiny gravel to large boulders. As I raked the garden to level it as best I could, the smaller stones built up around the paths, which I extending into circles to make a pumpkin patch and a (still unfinished) wildlife pond:
So, it seemed as if the garden chose to be like it is now. I love that!
And since then it has continued to evolve naturally, into a garden filled with pretty flowers, buzzing with wildlife:
And continuing the experiment by Meghan and I a few years ago, in our tiny front garden, the veggie garden is very much a recycled garden.
I left the larger rocks, in a pile, much loved by spiders, but have used some of them this year, as stepping stones across beds:
The others, I have spread around the garden, into slightly smaller spider haunts, and used some to make a toad house:
There are also a couple of wood piles from an elderberry I cut down, which had been blocking out all the light. And we still have two, one back and front (I keep thinking I might try making some elderberry jam sometime, but I don’t want to deprive the birds!)
So. The soil, the paths, and the insect homes have all been made from recycled materials. I have also left a couple of broken terracotta pots upturned here and there:
In one overgrown corner, I covered a half-buried pot with sticks and dried leaves, thinking our visiting hedgehog might like it.
And I dug up three house bricks, with holes through them, so have left them lying around the garden. They look perfect for tiny things to shelter in:
We had a new fence put up last year and the old one has been recycled in various ways, including a vast bird table, built by Meghan and a friend’s two children:
I wasn’t sure how much of a success it would be as a bird table, as Mrs. Tizzywinkle seems to think they made it for her, as somewhere to sit on when sunbathing, and lie under when she needs some shade:
But the birds do use it quite happily, they seem to know when Tizzy is in the house.
I used some of the old fence planks, held in place by canes and string, then further supported by some rocks, to make a raised vegetable bed. It’s in a part of the garden where things hadn’t grown well last year, under a sycamore tree and against a fence:
And I layered a few on the ground as a base for a new compost heap:
I had a couple of compost heaps in the back garden last year, which were doing really well, but ended up riddled with weeds when I stopped tending them after hurting my back again. The new compost heap will hopefully remain weed-free, whatever happens.
I have left a compost heap of sorts in the back, too. I don’t turn it, but add to it now and then. It’s mostly hedge cuttings and will take a while to rot down, but meanwhile it’s a nice snug home for any passer-by who fancies it.
Rather than buying new canes, I tied old broken canes together with lots of string, to make a frame for beans and peas, and used some of the old fence as walkways to divide beds:
I recycled a toaster as a plant pot for some lavender:
And our old cooker is now, with the addition of some fence planks, a potting table! It makes a great plant pot too, housing some trailing lobelia and sweetpeas so far:
The latest addition to the garden is a set of slightly battered, white plastic garden chairs, which were being thrown out by our neighbours:
Simply perfect for enjoying a quiet five minutes, watching the garden begin to bloom again.
7 Easy Ways to Recycle in the Garden:
~ Re-use household items as plant pots, rather than throw them away.
Your imagination is the only limit to the possibilities. You could use large tin cans, fruit boxes, a pair of old wellies, old wicker waste baskets, old sieves or collanders would be great as hanging baskets, and an old bath would be perfect as a raised bed.
~ Start a compost heap to recycle kitchen and garden waste.
You can recycle all kinds of things in a compost heap; the RecycleNow website suggests a third of the average household bin can be recycled in a compost heap. Check it out, they have some great links and advice.
~ Recycle water in your garden.
Use your washing up water or bath water in the garden. Avoid harsh chemicals, but any gentle soap suds will help alleviate bugs. Treat your garden to a water butt to collect rain water, too. Nick Leech has plenty more tips for water-wise gardening.
~ Use wooden lolly sticks as plant labels.
Or cut strips from a plastic milk bottle.
~ Feed the birds your kitchen waste.
This can include bread, but rarely and make sure you soak it first in oil or water. Much better fare is provided by chopped fruit and vegetable peelings. Seeds and nuts are good too, but avoid whole peanuts at this time of year, while adult birds are feeding their young. For a special treat, offer a little stale fruit cake now and then.
And for lots of great advice about feeding birds, check out the Young People’s Trust for the Environment website.
~ Use wool from old jumpers as garden twine.
Strips of fabric work too. And if you choose brightly coloured fabric or tie old Christmas ribbon to pea stakes, it will help keep the birds off your peas and beans.
~ Keep an eye open for things you can recycle as garden furniture or sculptures.
Old drawers can be planted up, long hedge cuttings can be woven into various shapes or used as plant supports and an old mirror can be used in the garden to great effect.
Extend your garden beyond its boundaries with a large mirror, or hide an unwanted view while reflecting one you do want. Small pieces of mirror are great for putting at the back of plants, doubling the display, while splashing light around the garden:
Try a little recycling in your own garden. It’s fun and it saves you money as well as helping the environment. Plus, it’s a chance to get creative. All in all, it’s a very heartmade thing to do! :0)
