Sustainable Serenity: 7 Eco-Friendly Materials for a Tranquil British Oasis 

In the hustle and bustle of everyday life, everyone needs a relaxing, peaceful outdoor space to come home to. And the best part is that you don’t have to break the bank and waste a lot of energy to achieve this.

With the right eco-friendly materials, you can create a serene oasis that you can run to for some peace and quiet. Whether it’s the landscaping, furniture, or styling of your outdoor oasis, eco-friendly materials can get the job done.

1. Native Plants

Having native plants around your outdoor oasis is great because they are already used to the British weather and they don’t consume a lot of water and fertilizer. Native plants can hold their own against pests, so you don’t have to worry about spending a lot of money on pesticides.

These plants also attract birds, butterflies, and bees, which is great if you are big on biodiversity. By having these plants around, you are creating an ecosystem that helps to prevent erosion. Some examples of native plants in the UK include Cowslips, Bluebells, Primroses and Dog Rose.

2. Solar-powered Garden Lights

Solar-powered garden lights are the perfect way to light up your outdoor oasis if you don’t want to waste energy. Since they use an abundant amount of energy from the sun, you will depend less on fossil fuels. In the long run, solar lights are cheaper to run and maintain than traditional lights.

Since solar-powered lights do not need to be connected to an electrical source, you can place just about anywhere in your oasis garden. So, whether you want to light up your pathway, seating area, or walls, solar-powered lights should be your go-to choice. You will not only be reducing your carbon footprint but also saving money.

3. Reclaimed Wood

Everything from your outdoor furniture to the decking should be made from reclaimed wood. Doing this will, you will be contributing your quota to the ongoing efforts to reduce landfill waste and deforestation.

There’s also the aesthetic side of reclaimed wood, as it brings a rustic, vintage appeal to your outdoor space. For instance, you can use Victorian floorboards to construct the walkway around your oasis. This reclaimed wood blends effortlessly with the greenery of the oasis and creates a welcoming atmosphere.

To protect and enhance the beauty of the reclaimed wood, you can apply Hard Wax Oil. This not only adds a durable, water-resistant finish but also 
highlights the natural grain and texture of the wood.

4. Composite Decking

You probably already know that we generate millions of tons of plastic waste every year, with a large chunk of it finding its way into landfills and oceans. To curb this ugly trend and cut down the demand for “virgin” plastics, you can use composite decking for outdoor space.

Composite decking does not come with toxic chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA), so you can use their leftovers to grow your plants and herbs.

5. Bamboo

You can turn your garden or backyard into a sanctuary by fencing the perimeters with bamboo. The great thing about bamboo is that it’s very strong, so you can rest assured that a bamboo fence will stand the test of time. Bamboo fences do a pretty good job withstanding harsh weather conditions. You can also build different kinds of pergolas and trellises with bamboo.

When it comes to sustainability, bamboo doesn’t disappoint, as it grows fully in just about three years. This makes it an eco-friendly alternative to your traditional wood. What’s more, you don’t need professional experience to build a bamboo fence.

6. Rain Barrels

Instead of allowing rainwater to find its way into your drainage system, you can mount rain barrels in your outdoor oasis to collect and store the water for other purposes like watering your garden, and cleaning outdoor surfaces, and vehicles.

By using rainwater for these jobs, you depend less on municipal water supply and save energy and money. By making use of rain barrels, you prevent stormwater runoff, which contributes to flooding.

7. Natural Stone

There’s a kind of timeless appeal that natural stone brings to your outdoor space that nothing else can. So, whatever outdoor project you have, be it walkways, walls, or fire pit construction, natural stone is worth considering.

Besides the aesthetic appeal of natural stone, it’s also environmentally friendly. It doesn’t undergo much processing after extraction from the ground. It’s also recyclable, so you can repurpose and reuse it for a different project whenever the need arises. Also if your region’s climate is not exactly the friendliest, natural stone will be a great choice because it can withstand freeze-thaw weather cycles.

Benefits of eco-friendly materials for your British garden

One of the most common benefits of eco-friendly materials is that they do not cause any negative impact on the environment during their use. For instance, composite decking, a recyclable material, utilises less carbon footprint during the manufacturing process.

1 – Reducing Carbon Footprint

Manufacturing of eco-friendly materials utilises fewer amounts of energy. This differs from traditional outdoor materials which involve the use of virgin polymer and heavy aluminium sheets. With eco-friendly materials, you can be sure that your activities are contributing to lower greenhouse emissions.

2 – Minimizing Waste

During the manufacturing process of eco-friendly garden materials, the priority is sustainability. This means more materials are saved from being dumped in landfills. Furthermore, eco-friendly materials are biodegradable, which means they break down naturally and can nourish the soil instead of polluting the environment.

3 – Encourage healthier Ecosystems

With the use of safe and organic materials in your yard, you can encourage healthy plant growth and eco-system in general.

Using eco-friendly materials can improve the sustainability of your outdoor space or yard. They are very popular because of their positive environmental impact, biodegradability and health benefits. 

Conclusion

This content explores the 7 most common eco-friendly materials including bamboo, rain barrels, natural stone, native plants and more. Through the use of eco-friendly materials, you can lower your carbon footprint, encourage biodiversity and enjoy a more aesthetically appealing garden that embraces the beauty of nature.

With the ideas you have gotten in this article, you can improve the serenity and tranquillity of your garden in no time.