All plants are natural, but not all are ideal for a sustainable garden. For environmentally-conscious gardeners, one of the best things you can do for your garden space is to grow sustainable or eco-friendly plants. These plants are mostly well-adapted to local environmental conditions, reducing your need for artificial fertilizers, pesticides, and excessive watering. Using less water and chemicals in your garden creates a healthier soil and ecosystem balance, starting with picking and growing the right plants. Here are some sustainable plants worth adding to your garden.
- Carrots and leeks planted together.
Consider planting carrots alongside leaks. Why this unlikely duo? Because leaks help ward off carrot flies, carrots can prevent leek moths – creating a mutually beneficial partnership. But that’s not all; carrots have a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other vegetables. They also produce fewer carbon emissions than other types of garden foods or plants and are more sustainable. Cucumber, for example, produces 5 times the carbon emissions of carrots, and salad vegetables need more resources to grow, creating a higher carbon footprint.
- Marigolds
Marigolds do great in any planting display. Aside from their beautifully vibrant appearance, these plants can ward off blackflies, greenflies, and other aphids. They do this by secreting limonene, releasing it to ward off uninvited pests. That means you’ll reduce your reliance on artificial pesticides if you have more marigold plants grown in strategic parts of your garden. These plants are also super effective against the fast-working (ironically) snails and slugs. When left unchecked, snails can quickly multiply in your garden, and before you know it, they’ve punched holes and chips in your plant leaves, harming or even killing them. If you’ve noticed these little pests in your garden and don’t know how to get rid of them, start planting some marigolds.
- Fireweed
Planting fireweed is not only sustainable but also considered excellent for wildlife in general. In areas where it grows, this plant helps a wide range of pollinators while acting as a host plant for different pollinating species like butterflies. So, if you want to improve pollination in your garden, plant a few fireweeds. But their benefits don’t end in the garden. Fireweed is acclaimed for its immense health benefits. Research has shown, for example, that it has potent anti-inflammatory properties with many therapeutic qualities. That means not only will the plant benefit your garden, but you can harvest it for its health benefits for the body. You can learn more about the fireweed health benefits, including how to use it outside the garden.
- Herbs
Thyme, rosemary, mint, and basil are versatile herbs that need little garden space to thrive. But one of their greatest benefits to your landscape or garden is their sustainability. Herbs are also natural pest repellants and need little water to grow, making them an ideal choice for water conservation. Outside of the garden, you can use these plants for their flavor and many health benefits.
Smart plant selection is a great way to make your garden more eco-friendly. These sustainable plants will be great additions to any garden space.
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