It’s no secret that I care about the Earth and believe everyone should do what they can to make the world a better place. As Royal City Nursery’s Earth Day Birthday rolls around again, I want to highlight some of the best ways to do your part for the Earth in your very own garden using some of the sustainable practices we use at Royal City Nursery’s Landscape Solutions. Here in Guelph, being green means something, and we take Earth Day seriously. Here’s how you can, too:
The simplest, most sustainable thing you can do for the planet is to plant a tree. If you can’t plant a tree, plant a shrub. It doesn’t matter—just plant it! As the old proverb goes, “The best time to plant a tree is 15 years ago. The next best time is now.” According to The Nature Conservancy, trees consume the very same greenhouse gasses responsible for climate change, turning them into oxygen for us. They also filter air and water particulates, provide habitat for the critters and pollinators we so greatly admire and rely upon, and give us shade from progressively warmer temperatures.
Indeed, trees are the complete package when it comes to sustainability. In fact, one tangible and unbeatable way to see immediate improvements on your energy bill is by planting trees on your property, a total sustainability win. Specifically, you can build a sustainable backyard by planting evergreens on your home’s North/Northwest side and deciduous trees on its South/Southwest side. The evergreens will make excellent wind blocks from Northwest winds in the winter, and the deciduous trees will shade your sun-weary home during the hottest days of summer when the sun’s blasting from the South.
Another of our favourite methods for creating a long-term sustainable garden, and one that brings a host of benefits, is installing a pollinator garden. By merely planting beautiful flowers for you and your family to enjoy, you’re bringing in a whole host of bees, butterflies, and birds that will enjoy your yard just as much as you do and spread seeds and pollen grains throughout your community, helping your local environment and the planet enormously.
For bonus sustainability points, plant native species in your garden, specifically those that bloom at various times throughout the growing season and offer your pollinators a veritable banquet of diverse blooms. For sustainable blooms you can plant right at the start of the season, go for crocus, witch hazel, and maple. Just remember to plant your crocus in September—I recommend setting a reminder in your calendar early! These will bloom about 2–3 weeks earlier than everything else, and definitely earlier than you think they will. Trust me, the bees and butterflies will thank you!
A final way you can benefit the planet and yourself is by growing your own veggie garden! It’s cool to be sustainable, and what better way to help the Earth than by reaping what you sow? So much of our food is flown or driven in, so it only makes environmental sense to incorporate as much locally-grown produce as possible into your diet. It’s also great for kids—it amazes me how many young people make it to college without ever starting a seed! We can grow our own, and we get a great deal of pride from growing our own. After all, carrots really don’t come from a bag.
If you’d like to learn more about sustainable gardening and landscaping while having an absolute blast, come on down to our Earth Day Birthday! Not only will you be able to collect any plants and other materials you might need for your sustainable garden, but we’ll have food trucks ready to provide you with delicious meals.
When you do your part for the Earth, you do your part for your community and the folks around you. Let us help you with that. Stop by and visit us at Royal City Nursery in Guelph, ON, for all of your sustainable garden needs, and be sure to come say hello at our Earth Day Birthday!
