In your garden

Trees and plants directly help to tackle climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and can reduce the risk of flooding. If suitable, growing a hedge in your garden can also capture particulate pollution. To learn more about growing a tree or hedge, and planting for pollinators, visit the RHS page.

Planting for the environment/RHS Gardening

Growing a diversity of garden plants helps to build resilience as weather patterns change. Aiming to have a diversity of pollinator friendly plants with different flowering times can support insects impacted by changing conditions. Find out more about plants for pollinators: Plants for Pollinators advice and downloadable lists are available on RHS Gardening website.

• RHS gardening

Green roofs and walls can provide year-round energy savings due to a cooling effect in summer and heating in winter. Try to reduce the use of petrol- or diesel-powered tools, switching to corded electrical where possible. Even better, hire tools or share with neighbours as the most environmentally friendly solution. 

Creating an area to grow your own food in your outdoor space is a fantastic way to get outdoors regularly and support a healthy lifestyle, while also benefitting the planet through less waste and seasonal eating which reduces food miles. To find out how to get started with your own vegetable garden, use this resource from RHS. Help and advice on planning a vegetable garden/RHS Gardening is available online.

• RHS - planning a vegetable garden

Water butts can help to reduce flood water and are a great way to conserve water during drought. Select plants and design strategies in your garden that are best suited to local conditions and availability water supply. 

If there is one thing likely to attract wildlife to your outdoor spaces, its water. Whether a simple bird bath or a pond, providing water can be a real lifeline for many species. There is lots of advice on providing water for nature on the RSPB pages:

• Make a splash with water

An old rotting log pile tucked away from sunlight, a piece of corrugated iron laid flat in the shade, or compost heap can provide ideal habitats for a range of species. Bug hotels and bird feeders can also be great addition to your outdoor spaces. Take a look at the range of wildlife homes you can create on the Surrey County Council website.

• Urban greening opportunities across Surrey to help reverse nature loss

Garden lighting can have a wide range of impacts on a variety of species. Learn more about the impacts of lighting in your outdoor spaces from the RHS, and adopt practices to minimise the effects by fitting hoods, turning off lights when not in use, and choosing low-intensity lighting.

• Garden lighting: effects on wildlife

Peatlands store a huge quantity of carbon, and their harvesting for composts is damaging for biodiversity and emissions. Look for peat-free composts which are now widely found in the UK. To find out more about peat-free gardening, visit the RHS page.

• Peat-free gardening

Adding home-made compost to your soil improves its structure and provides nutrients for your garden. Healthy soil also captures carbon and is essential to reduce the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. To learn more, visit the Council’s dedicated home composting page:

• Home composting

Controlling pests and disease without the use of chemicals. Key steps from the RHS include being vigilant, encouraging beneficial insects, and removing any diseased material.

• Controlling pests and diseases without chemicals

Adopt the reduce, reuse, recycle approach in your garden by reducing your demand for resources where possible, reusing household and seasonal items over many years, and recycling your garden waste and any other materials used in your garden.