How do you support biodiversity?
Our research paper Every Garden Matters demonstrated domestic gardens make an important contribution to biodiversity, especially in a time of increasing urbanisation. And in our follow-up survey, we wanted to evaluate what contribution gardeners were making through their everyday actions.
We wanted to discover what our supporters understood as ‘biodiversity’, the actions you take to conserve biodiversity within your garden, and if any improvements can be made. We also wanted to know what impact the charity currently has on biodiversity conservation within your garden.
How you’re gardening organically
It wasn’t a surprise to find that most Garden Organic supporters were conducting actions that would have a positive influence on biodiversity. Our survey found that 90% of you had a compost heap, 85% a wildlife area, 70% a pond, 64% a bug hotel and 62% a bird box. Pesticide use was also low, with 70% of respondents never using even organic pesticides.
You prefer the no dig method
The popularity of ‘no dig’ growing, which has increased rapidly over the last 10 years, shows no signs of abating either. In our sample, only a small proportion of you (2%) said you dig regularly, with the vast majority (68%) saying you only dig occasionally when necessary.
Plant diversity
It was also encouraging that 25% of your gardens comprised ornamental borders with diverse plantings. And a third of borders comprised of 25 or more types of plants. Having an area of border that remains over the winter is essential for providing habitats for wildlife. You also showed an interest in choosing native or near native plants in your garden, with 43% of you stating that you choose native plants where possible.
To read the full report click here