By: Esther Hack, Dean Garden Design

Esther Hack, Dean Garden Design — Thu, 02 May 2024 09:31:45 +0000

Great initiative Hana. This subject needs a lot more exploration by all of us. Plastic is such a practical material it is difficult to replace. Also people don’t always know they’re using plastic. Geo textile for instance is typically made of polypropylene or polyester, both plastics. And sometimes the alternatives don’t work very well. However if we want to keep our gardens, country and world beautiful and functional we have to reduce our plastic waste and find ways to reuse it. There are great ideas such as Hana’s and for instance Hampshire’s The Hairy Pot Company which uses coir and latex pots, and Chichester Trees and Shrubs which reususes customers’ pots . If you have the space and access, your compost does not need to be delivered in plastic bags. There are also some initiatives which raise questions. E.g. composite decking, which reuses waste wood bound with oil derived resin is long lasting, but what happens to it at the end of its life? Green walls sound green, but actually are made of plastic pockets and require regular maintenance. The Kings Cross development demonstrates an alternative. Steel wires and grids with vigorous climbers rising to over 6m (they are growing in the ground so in normal weather should not need watering). There are ancient wonderful successes like the Cornish Hedge, walls of dry stone and earth which host numerous native species. I have just been working on a build for the Gardeners World Spring Fair at Beaulieu, Hampshire this weekend, and was really struck by something like 15 carpenters, landscapers, gardeners, garden designers and volunteers all working together to make Inbud’s beautiful garden – it was exciting and lovely with different garden teams all helping each other. Similarly reducing plastic, while not quite so glamourous is a team effort where success is about all of us working together.

Comments on: Garden designer Hana Leonard on Planet vs Plastics

By: Esther Hack, Dean Garden Design