THE IMPORTANCE OF SUSTAINABLE GARDEN DESIGN
BY FILIP KOZIEL
In today’s world we tend to forget how important sustainable garden design is. So here we would like to share with you our thoughts about the subject. During the process of garden design we are focused on the owner’s needs, living style and beauty priorities. As human beings we love low-maintenance spaces and enjoying our free time engaging in pleasant activities in an at tractive environment. Many modern gardens comprise a concrete patio, ar tificial lawn and swimming pool. We all know that concrete and steel become very hot during the summer months, especially here on the Costa del Sol, and that’s why sustainable gar den design is so important – that is, connecting garden structures such as patios, paths and pergolas with nature. There are many ways to achieve this. Our way is to not force the laws of na ture, as you simply cannot win against its power: drought, hot weather, salt from the sea suspended in humid air… Rather, our designs are based on observations of nature: what is growing in the fields, mountains, valleys, and taking into consideration what kind of plants are growing next to the sea. These observations, and our research of plants, provide us with the opportunity to adapt our designs to the natural environment surrounding the garden. A mixture of native and garden (spe cially-selected) plants creates breathtaking landscapes in different styles and accommodating particular needs.
So, how can you achieve a sustainable garden design? Some of the key fac tors that make our garden sustainable include reducing biologically inactive spaces such as concrete flooring or artificial grass, and reducing lawn areas. Why? Biologically inactive spaces become hot, leaving loads of waste during production – much of which is extremely difficult to recycle. Lawns are monoculture, requiring water and artificial fertiliser, which is the opposite to biodiversity, water-saving and natural fertilisation. Sustainable garden design is about taking care not only of us but of all living beings… bees, butterflies, birds and the many other creatures that visit our garden. Think about the contrast between living in a hot place without shade and full of concrete and plastic (artificial lawn) and somewhere that offers a balance between paths, patios and plants that give you shade, lower the tempera ture, and surround you with scents, views and positive energy.
Filip Koziel – garden design, construction and maintenance Tel. (+34) 653 410 185 www.groovegardendesign.es
