An evening stroll in the garden and came back with an itchy skin? Your pet accidentally chewed on some leaves and felt uneasy? Maintaining the health, look of your garden is digging a hole in your pocket?

If any of the above scenarios read familiar to you, then it’s time to transform your society garden into a sustainable garden. As pretentious as it may sound, it is just about going back to our roots.

Today, our well-manicured gardens boast of exotic plants – names we don’t even know. Our lawns reflect the care and resources we spend in maintaining them. Our flower beds are laced with chemicals that force them to stay alive – momentarily. And the list goes on.

Is there an alternative to this? Well, yes. The answer lies in making better informed choices to benefit the member community and the environment by making our gardens:

1) People-Friendly:

Since society gardens are used by everyone, especially the vulnerable – children, senior citizens, pets, one must be conscious of the plants being used in such spaces. A few plants are known to be highly toxic for the above groups such as Dieffenbachia, Lantana, Morning Glory, Croton, etc. Instead using native plants can create a safer space for all.

2) Environment-Friendly:

What is the purpose of a garden without its residents? The sight of butterflies and the melody of birds makes a garden pleasurable. By using chemical-free, organic fertilizers, pesticides or any other plant care materials, every small space can do its bit in protecting biodiversity. At the same time, using such natural products enhances soil health, longevity of plants and reduces its carbon footprint.

3) Pocket-Friendly:

Can we create a garden which is aesthetic and low on maintenance at the same time? Yes, of course. Replacing exotic plants with native / indigenous and hardy varieties can not only increase your garden’s lifespan but also reduce maintenance costs to a considerable extent. Native plants are well-adapted for our local climate. This means, they’re more resistant to pests – hence, reducing the use of pesticides. They contribute more towards soil nutrition – hence, reducing the use of fertilizers. They’re hardy in nature – hence, they tend to survive better in harsher weather conditions – hence, reducing the replantation efforts.

To sum up, the choices that we make in our gardens make them sustainable. Choices that put self-sustenance at the centre of garden design. Choices that create a balance between contemporary aesthetics and traditional wisdom.

Be it the colours from flowers, the vibrancy from birds and butterflies, the joy of growing your own organic food or a cooler sense of surroundings, a garden has much more to offer than one can think. From improving our physical, mental, spiritual, emotional, to even social health, it can enhance our quality of life. Not just for us, but everyone around us.