Hazel’s blog: tackle climate change and create a community garden

The RHS is launching a campaign to mobilise Britain’s 30 million gardeners to fight climate change and tackle biodiversity problems. And you can help by creating your own Psalm 23 community garden. 

This week, the RHS announced a ten-point guide for us gardeners, to help us garden in a more sustainable, environmentally-conscious way. 

Its director of science and collections, Professor Alistair Griffiths said, ‘Collectively, the actions of each and every one of our nation’s 30 million gardeners can create positive change and help us adapt to and mitigate against the climate and biodiversity crises’.

Its guidelines include using peat-free compost and rainwater instead of tap water, as well as growing your own bunches of flowers. 

Its key points match those in the Psalm 23 Garden guide, so you can create a community garden and help conserve your environment. 

So, what do you need to do? First, plant a tree. Choose one that is right for your location, soil and needs, so take time over buying it. Designer Sarah Eberle advises ‘going as big as you can afford’. And then, nurture it. The RHS has worked out that, if we all did this, the trees planted would capture carbon equivalent to driving 11 million times around the planet. 

Then, create an area of wildflower planting. Put in plants that are good for pollinators. These can include night-scented plants for moths. If you live in a city, consider taking up a few paving slabs to plant there too. 

The RHS advises using rainwater in your garden. To create a Psalm 23-inspired garden, you’ll need water too. If you haven’t got much space, consider adding a bird bath to draw wildlife in. And why not put a water butt on your building at the same time? You’ll be able to save water and freshen up your plants at the same time. 

You can download our handy guide to creating a Psalm 23-inspired community garden. Let us know how you get on via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.