Garden of the future
Get your garden ready for any climate
Climate change makes gardens hotter, drier or wetter more often. As a result, the soil gets out of balance. Rain puddles stay longer, soil dries out faster in summer. Stones in the garden retain heat longer.
With some small adjustments, your garden is better prepared. Choose heat-resistant plants, for instance. Provide sufficient shade. Replace tiles with plants. This will keep your garden cooler and drier. Want to create a climate-proof garden yourself? Here's how to do it.
What is a climate-proof garden?
This is a garden that can withstand more extreme weather when the climate changes. Greening the garden, or your balcony, works! Planting makes gardens cooler, and captures rainwater better.
A green garden is also a great place for insects, birds and animals. And above all for yourself. Check out our tips for a climate-proof balcony and garden.
Five tips for a climate-proof garden
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1. Rain barrel saves water!
On hot summer days, more (rain) water is used, for instance to water the garden. Quite a waste, isn't it? Do you want to save water? Put a rain barrel in the garden. That way you always have a supply to water your plants. And it prevents the drains from filling up. Rain barrels come in different sizes and shapes.
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2. Replace tiles with plants
This is how to create a cool and green garden. Do you want some paving in your garden? Then choose gravel, (clay) shells, bark, permeable clinkers or tiles with wide joints in between. Use the Tile Taxi to take away your old tiles.
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3. Green your roof
First check whether your roof can handle it. Flat roofs, or roofs with a pitch of up to 25 degrees, are often suitable for a green roof. Take extra weight into account. Experts, or Green Ambassador Jim, can help you with such questions.
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4. Construct a wadi for water drainage
For those now thinking: "A wattie?" A wadi is a kind of pit or pool in the garden, made to collect rainwater and let it sink into the ground. Super handy! This is how to make a wadi: dig a pit of at least 2 m². Fill it with some gravel, sand and water-loving plants. And your natural drainage system is ready.
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5. Create a small pond or puddle
On your balcony, you can make a mini pond from a mortar tub. You can also store water in your garden: create a Tuiny Poel: a 2m2 mini pond with 12 water plants. This helps animals like the small newt, brown frog, dragonflies and bees. And birds can drink, wash and eat insects in the pond.
A cool garden in summer - How to keep your head cool without air conditioning
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A green garden on your roof
From dull grey roof to green garden
Get a green roof or roof garden to keep your house cool in summer. Plants on the roof insulate and collect rainwater. An ideal natural air conditioner. And the roof looks fresh green at the same time.
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The best parasol
Cosy and good for hot days
Create a natural parasol from a tree, shrub or garden canopy. It is cooler under a tree or natural canopy than under an umbrella. And you don't need air conditioning!
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Get high
With a vertical (facade) garden
Cover fences, canopies and walls with climbing plants. That way, you can transform any wall into a green oasis. Good wall coverers are climbing roses, ivy, honeysuckle, firethorn and woodruff.
The green garden of...
Monique Pol lives for and in her green garden. "My green garden is my hobby and it is my gym," says Monique. Together with a landscaper, Monique designed her green garden. There are no tiles in her garden, but all the more native trees, plants, herbs and flowers. And as a result, Monique enjoys the benefits of a green garden: cooler in summer, less water needed in dry periods and her garden is teeming with insects.
