ENVIRONMENT
Here at Greenscape Gardens we are aware of the impact that our day to day activities have on the environment around us. We are on a journey to reduce our waste, carbon emissions, and to keep striving for greener ways of working.
There has been a shift in social awareness and move towards more sustainable ways of living and working, which is, we think, particularly important in our industry which relies on the land around us.
A Seed of Hope
In 2022 we were commissioned to install and co design our first show garden at the International Garden Festival’s 30th birthday.
The garden was built to embody a positive presence in the world. Une graine d’espoir (A Seed of Hope) is a haven of peace for wild flowers and insects, inseparable duos for the last 130 million years. Insects are the Earth’s secret architects. By taking good care of them, we take care of our own environment.
The pathway was designed to run through a lush green wood and around a hedgerow. It leads to an inner oasis whose plants sometimes spill over onto it, just as individual actions may impact the world. Arriving in this haven is a striking experience: wild flowers are given the same care usually reserved for vegetable gardens. Behind a row of dwarf apple trees, a variety of vegetables and flowers provide nourishment for bees, butterflies and other such creatures. A living waltz that engages all the senses, listening to the soundtrack of their buzzing and humming, observing the changing colours of the seasons and breathing in the fragrant scents of fruits and herbs. Layout bypasses metal and plastic, even for the watering system. Only recycled materials are used. It is a matter of urgency to universalise this approach in the face of loss of species, global warming and galloping pollution. Gardens reinvigorate us if they are shared with nature and protected as seed libraries for the future. The ideal garden sows hope.
The garden was designed in conjunction with Dave Goulson who is professor of Biology at the University of Sussex, specializing in bee ecology. He has published more than 300 scientific articles on the ecology and conservation of bumblebees and other insects.
WASTE
Despite its connection with nature, our industry faces the same struggles as many others when it comes to sustainability and our impact on the environment. Even as a small business, it can be surprising how much waste can be created on each project.
We always try to minimise our waste and for as long as we can remember, we’ve been re-using “Waste” and salvaged materials wherever possible - be it using old paving slabs to create the base for a new patio, using old fence panels and posts for constructing storage facilities at our premises, using delivery pallets to create bespoke seating or bricks from a recently demolished fireplace to create a BBQ).
Our Surrey yard enables us to sort and recycle as much as we possibly can, along with providing space to store unwanted materials for future use. Reclaimed materials can add a fantastic aesthetic (and story!) to a garden.
We are actively seeking designs that we can implement where we can use reclaimed and recycled materials.
#wastenotwantnot
OUR COMMITMENT
...As the state of our environment becomes increasingly prominent, we are committed to continuing to reduce, reuse and recycle.
We are committed to continuing to educate ourselves and finding new working practises within our industry to help become a greener company.
We are excited to work with a growing number of clientele who share this passion and who want to create garden spaces with this in mind.