The definition of being eco-friendly in some way starts with plants.

Technically speaking, planting a tree contributes to greenery around us. One would imagine that the greener spaces we create, the better our world feels. More oxygen, improved air quality, cooler atmosphere, mental well-being among several other positives. When we grow a plant, we feel that we have taken the first step towards building a sustainable world.

But what if, someone told you that planting any tree isn’t enough? What if, gardening in the modern world is doing more damage than good to your green vision?

As it turns out, sowing a seed or growing a sapling isn’t enough to create a truly green, sustainable world. The complete knowledge of gardening and study of our natural world determines how well we are inching towards our green goals.

To create such a garden, one must remember these 3 principles where it should:

In short, you must know what you are growing, where are you growing it, how are you growing it and what impact it is generating in this process.

Simply put, a sustainable garden works with nature, not against it. Such a space encourages co-existence among other habitants of our planet in form of other species of plants, birds, butterflies, bees, etc.

While creating or sustaining an indoor or outdoor garden, one must consider the above principles. From the choice of plants or seeds to the kind of materials, one uses in the garden, determines the sustainability factor in it.

In our Introduction to Sustainable Gardening series, we will talk about the three principles in detail. Watch out this space.

Next in this series: How home gardening can support local biodiversity and ecosystems