Suburbia, in some ways, exemplifies much that is wrong with modern society and the way many people live their lives. It was designed around the car – not around people or the environment. Suburbs can often be sterile seas of little boxes, manicured lawns, driveways, garages and roads. But here and there, oases are appearingContinue reading “Retrofitting Suburbia For a Sustainable Future”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Integrate Don’t Segregate
In our gardens and in our lives, integration can be integral to positive change. Lockdowns have left many of us feeling isolated and cut off from others. But in some ways, facing challenges together has brought people closer. Communities have come together – even as we have physically been kept apart. In a world ofContinue reading “Integrate Don’t Segregate”
What Are Nematodes?
Delving deeper into soil ecology can be a good move for an organic gardener. The more we know about our soil and what it contains, the better placed we will be to manage our gardens in an eco-friendly and sustainable way. One important soil dweller is one that many gardeners know nothing about. Nematodes areContinue reading “What Are Nematodes?”
Fungi and their Function in an Organic Garden
When you think about fungi, mushrooms are probably the first things that spring to mind. But fungi is far more important in your garden than you may imagine. Like bacteria and other soil life, fungi plays a vital role in the soil ecosystem. They are another hidden helper in an organic garden. Without them, weContinue reading “Fungi and their Function in an Organic Garden”
Hidden Helpers in an Organic Garden
If you are one of the many people growing their own for the first time this year, you might feel overwhelmed at times. Stick with it! Even though you will make mistakes, and even though things will go wrong, growing your own is still immensely satisfying. Even if your yields are patchy, and your plantsContinue reading “Hidden Helpers in an Organic Garden”
Demand a Green Recovery – Speak Out
Wherever you live, recovery from Coronavirus should not be all about the bottom line. Financial recovery that does not care for people and planet is no recovery at all. Right now, we countries that have passed the peak of the crisis have a unique opportunity to craft a greener, fairer society. But it won’t happenContinue reading “Demand a Green Recovery – Speak Out”
Reasons To Lose the Lawn (And What to Replace it With)
There are plenty of reasons to get rid of the lawn in your garden. When I say lawn, what I am referring to is a manicured, perfect grass mono-crop. Of course, grass cover is not always a bad thing. Grass cover can protect the soil, feed livestock, and can be very practical. It can alsoContinue reading “Reasons To Lose the Lawn (And What to Replace it With)”
Why Do So Many People Have a Manicured Grass Lawn?
It is likely that most homes in your neighbourhood will have a lawn. But why? Have you ever stopped to consider why lawns are so popular? Short, maintained grass, it could be argued, feeds into our human urge to tame and control our surroundings. Short grasses make it easier to see any dangers coming. TheyContinue reading “Why Do So Many People Have a Manicured Grass Lawn?”
Green Recovery – Why Growth is Not Always Good
In the garden, and when it comes to your personal development, growth is almost always a wonderful thing. The image above shows my forest garden – growing strong. But the same thing, arguably, is not true when it comes to economics. I am by no means an economist, but I have recently been thinking aContinue reading “Green Recovery – Why Growth is Not Always Good”
Conversations About Sustainability
I am very lucky to live with people who are broadly on the same page that I am. But many people live with others who don’t think about sustainability all that often. Others may even come up against a brick wall when trying to talk about what’s best for people and our planet. So, howContinue reading “Conversations About Sustainability”