Marian Boswall is a leading landscape architect, who focuses on how gardening can protect the planet and help us. She is part of our Growing Greener Campaign panel of experts
Greener facts
- Concrete is said to be responsible for 4-8% of the world’s CO2
- Concrete making comprises almost a 10th of the world’s current industrial water use
‘Design’ can seem complicated, but it simply means ‘to mark out’. By taking time to plan our gardens sustainably we can ensure that we are working with nature; saving resources; protecting what we have and looking after ourselves.
We each have billions of different bacteria and fungi living on our bodies, more than there are people on the planet, so we are part of nature before we even step outside! To take care of the planet we must first take care of ourselves, which means thinking about how we want to live. We know exercise is good for the body and stillness is good for the spirit, so however big or small our space we can plan for both, leaving room to work and to watch what is happening in the garden.
This story is from the April 2022 edition of Gardeners World.
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This story is from the April 2022 edition of Gardeners World.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
We love June
We're cruising towards midsummer: this is a month full of love and abundance. Wherever you look there will be something in your garden that lifts the spirits and makes you glad to be alive. We have colour to cheer us, we have leaves that still have the bounce and freshness of small puppies, we have the first berries fattening up, there are birds frantically parenting very demanding broods of chicks, the bees are all over the place, it's prime barbecue and picnic season, and we have lawns as lush and green as billiard tables. What a month to fall in love.
Your wildlife month
The female will usually lay one clutch of up to eight eggs
An edible garden in pots
Join Lucy Bellamy in creating an edible container garden for all seasons, as she harvests what's ripe now and starts later-season crops
Garden craft with kids
Fill the summer holidays with fun nature makes for kids, including botanical printed t-shirts, seed sowing in upcycled food containers and a hanging home for beneficial insects. Jaime Johnson and family show you how
Secrets of a COLOURFUL GARDEN
Using a colour theme is an easy way to give any garden a strong, unified character - Nick Bailey shows you how
Indoor plants, outdoor treats
Break the rules and give your house plants a summer holiday, with Michael Perry's mixed pot display ideas
YOUR PRUNING MONTH
The first few weeks of summer are a good time to get spring-flowering plants in shape. Follow Frances' guide for best results
Gardening for wellbeing
As the pressures of modern living bear down, our outside spaces can provide soothing respite for our minds and bodies, says Arit Anderson
Your greenhouse guide to A fruitful summer
Get the best from your greenhouse fruit and vegetable crops this summer, with these tried and trusted growing tips from Adam Frost
Stars of the show
Agapanthus is the perfect midsummer plant, flowering with spectacular blooms from June onwards and, as Monty explains, it loves to grow in a pot