What will a Net Zero garden look like?

How does your low-carbon garden grow? We asked Professor Jess Davies, Director of the Centre for Global Eco-innovation at Lancaster University, and Professor Iain Donnison, Head of the Institute of Biological, Environmental & Rural Sciences at Aberystwyth University, about the changes we can expect to see to our gardens as the UK works towards its Net Zero targets

The garden of the future could look much more like this. Image: Nuccobrain for UKRI

Colourful lawns

Instead of immaculate bowling-green stripes, Net-Zero lawns could be more unruly and dotted with wildflowers. “White clover among the grass is perfect — its nitrogen-fixing roots helps feed the lawn and the flowers are loved by pollinators,” explains Prof Donnison. Grass will be allowed to grow longer, too. “This cuts down the use of petrol or electric mowers and makes the lawn better able to hold onto moisture during dry spells.”

Resilient planting

Summer bedding plants are often grown in heated glasshouses then distributed in hard-to-recycle plastic pots. To help reduce the carbon footprint of flower borders, gardens will need to include less energy-intensive and more resilient plants. “Once established, deeper-rooted shrubs and perennials don’t require as much watering. Plus, they come back year after year, so you don’t disturb the soil with constant digging, which releases more carbon into the atmosphere,” says Prof Donnison.

Space for veg

The trend for growing your own seems set to continue. Although it can reduce emissions from transportation, gardeners need to take care not to cancel out savings by using peat-based growbags and artificial fertilisers. “Nutrients need to come from circular systems — such as home composting kitchen and garden waste — or rotating crops, where plants such as peas and beans fix nitrogen in the soil to help feed next year’s courgettes,” explains Professor Davies. Live in a flat? Window boxes and pots on balconies are perfect for growing salad and herbs.

Fruit trees feed people and wildlife, and lock away carbon. In a Net Zero future, they would be a regular addition to new housing developments. Image: Nuccobrain for UKRI

More fruit and nut trees

Back in 1920, founder of the Garden City movement Ebenezer Howard planted an apple tree in every garden in his new Welwyn Garden City project — an idea that meets the needs of Net-Zero developments today. “Developers need to plant more trees on new estates. Trees are very efficient at locking away carbon, and if you grow fruit and nut trees you can help feed people and wildlife, too,” says Prof Donnison.

More water-wise

Permeable surfaces instead of concrete will reduce flood risk, and lawns will be full of clover. Image: Nuccobrain for UKRI

Climate change may bring more extremes of weather and solid surfaces, such as patio slabs and tarmac driveways, can become heat stores on hot days and flood risks in heavy downpours. “Water treatment is very energy intensive, so gardens of the future need to allow water to drain away by using permeable surfaces and also capture rainwater during wet periods to use when it’s dry,” says Professor Davies.

Hedges instead of fences

“Just as farmers are being encouraged to replace fencing with hedgerows, gardeners should too,” says Prof Donnison. Hedges capture carbon, provide a home for wildlife, and studies show that plants such as yew, hawthorn and holly can help tackle the growing problem of poor air quality by removing pollutants from the air.

Natural insulation

Future houses may have their insulation boosted naturally with climbing plants. “Green plants can help reduce the amount of heat absorbed by darker surfaces, such as brick, and also provide shade, contributing to a reduction in the urban heat island effect,” says Professor Donnison. Avoid plants with suckers, such as ivy, which can damage brickwork, though.

Weedy corners

Increasing biodiversity plays a role in reducing carbon emissions as encouraging natural pest controllers negates the need for chemical-based pesticides. “Letting weeds grow in a wild corner or creating a log pile, for example, will encourage wildlife into gardens and improve their natural ecosystems,” says Professor Davies.

New ideas about garden spaces

Our garden of the future is part of a larger communal space, where people grow food together, and take their work outdoors. Image: Nuccobrain for UKRI

The rise of more flexible working is already having an impact on gardens, with more of us creating spaces to work, eat and relax. “I think we’ll see a continuation of this blurring of boundaries between house and garden, with covered outdoor areas and canopies,” says Professor Davies. “I also hope we’ll see a more fundamental shift with the growth of communal gardens and spaces instead of just private gardens. These could have a carbon impact by encouraging shared resources — such as tools, composting and seed swaps — and also enable more people to enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits of gardens and gardening.”

Want to know more?

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