How to Design Your Outdoor Area with an Environmentally Friendly Mindset

With the world moving more in the direction of embracing environmentally friendly options in the home for comfortable living, it is no wonder that the next move will be to embrace it in the garden area as well.

It is important to note that this can be achieved without losing the aesthetics or functionality of any of the items that you chose to take advantage of. In fact, the eco-friendlier options tend to have additional benefits which stretch further than just the good they can do for our environment.

#1 Use products that are made from recycled materials

You can use items that are made from recycled materials; this is not just limited to upcycling unwanted pallets but also items that have been made from broken-down plastic and other widely recycled materials.

Fence panels and gates

For instance, you can now purchase composite fence panels as well as a composite garden gate. These are incredibly low-maintenance options for the more traditional wood panel fences and associated garden gates. They come in a range of different colors, so you will not have to regularly stain or paint them to protect them against weather conditions or rot and will just need a simple wipe down every now and then to keep them looking good. Composite gates and fence panels are made from 90% recycled items, including plastic and wood, while the other 10% is an eco-friendly bonding agent.

Garden furniture

With this, you can also purchase garden furniture that is made from 100% recycled high-density polyethylene (or HDPE), which is obtained from water bottles, plastic bags, and bottle tops. These, too, are generally very low maintenance and hard-wearing, but the benefits to the environment do not stop there. By using these recycled items to make garden furniture, the manufacturers are cutting back on the amount of landfill that is taking place as well as reducing the energy and water that would normally be used in garden furniture manufacture.

#2 Install natural resource-saving features

Of course, your environmentally friendly garden journey needn’t end there. You can also help the environment by making the most of other natural resources in your garden that may even save you some money and help your plants grow.

Rainwater storage system

Installing a rainwater system or water butt. This can be an amazing idea, especially when water is becoming a rare commodity for some at certain times of the year. You are also likely to find that most plants actually prefer rainwater to tap water.

Garden composting areas

In addition to your water butt, you can also start your own composting bin. Making use of vegetable scraps and plant cuttings by allowing them to rot down into exceptionally good quality compost will also see your plants benefiting from those items that would normally be thrown away and taken to landfill sites.

Final thoughts

If you have a garden, you should definitely make the most of it, and there is nothing better than making it into an eco-friendly environment by using recycled products and supporting nature along the way.