Eco-friendly garden design - saves you money, makes your garden look special and helps wildlife

[@Hayley-sl9lm]

This gentleman is brilliant, folks in their local area are lucky to have them as a resource! I really appreciate how you bring together on a lot of your videos more progressive topics with classic ideas of gardening, I feel like it probably brings a lot of folks into the fold that wouldn't otherwise be there.

[@dyanalayng5507]

Love this video on its whole approach to doing our best. ❤🇨🇦

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@LouciferFlump]

I bought a spade, a trowel, a rake, a hoe, a bow saw, secateurs, shears, loppers and a large watering can about 20years ago when I started “proper” gardening. I spent quite a lot on each one but I’ve never had to replace or repair any one of them. They look rough as a badger’s little furry bottom now but they work excellently. The spade in particular has had a lot of strain put on it. Buying cheap is definitely a false economy if you’re starting out!! I know plenty of people despairing of a cheap spade!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Absolutely! I have a number of bent supermarket gardening forks and if a gardening fork bends or breaks when you're putting weight on it, that can actually cause an accident.

[@LouciferFlump]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden exactly! They’re cheap for a reason. No one wants to get hurt gardening, it’s supposed to be good for you! 😃

[@joecity9]

I bought an excellent British made spade about 30 years ago. It turned out to be so good and reliable that I told my relatives I wanted to be buried with it.

[@LouciferFlump]

@@joecity9 that’s priceless!! Love it!! 🖤

[@anvangheluwe4049]

@@joecity9I understand, but wouldn’t it be better to pass it on when the time comes? 😊

[@rrinwin]

I love how he encourages embracing weeds. There truly are occasions when the weeds beautify the place.

[@JoannaLouise200]

Fascinating discussion Alexandra, and what a lovely man.

[@gardentours]

Wise man. I hope that more and more people will follow his advice.

[@stephengary1217]

Very interesting video and lots of good tips. I've had a wildlife pond with a plastic liner and recycled stone for 25 years. The liner is still going strong.

[@minervabird1967]

thanks so much for this video. Upcycling materials for the garden is really important, and I hope people find that using reclaimed things gives the outdoor space a charm, a patina if you will that a new garden takes a long time to develop.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, and I love the weathered look too.

[@janetmacdonald5455]

Brilliant! Suggest Alexandra introduces the BBC to this chap & encourages them to make a programme about him & his ideas. He deserves a much wider audience. But full brownie points to Alexandra for bringing him to our notice.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Have a feeling someone from the BBC watches this channel...so hope they will spot him!

[@gardengatesopen]

I LOVE this guy! I do wish every gardener had this same p.o.v. !! I employ just about every aspect of recycling he spoke about in my garden, including having 4 truckloads of woodchips dropped at my house 18 months ago. Mostly because I need more soil. But also I wanted to help out the Fireflies! (My native soil is mostly rocks & boulders, with very little top soil, so I really do need more soil!) It was free to have the chips dropped, and the very best part of having these woodchips is I've already seen an increase of Fireflies this Summer!! The Fireflies in my immediate area have been decreasing exponentially over the years bcuz of neighbors using pesticides. (I wish they would stop!) We used to have HUNDREDS of Fireflies, but before I got the woodchips, we were down to only about 1 dozen. No joke. The situation was getting desperate! (BTW - Fireflies are the U.S. equivalent to y'all's hedgehogs!) Save The Fireflies!! Save The Hedgehogs!! I won't say any more on that subject bcuz if I do, I may NEVER shut up!! So now, I've given the Fireflies a new habitat to thrive in! In the short time we've had the woodchips the number of Fireflies has already doubled!! I'm excited to see what the numbers will be next Summer!! The mycelium & mushroom growth has also been a lot of fun to watch & learn about with the woodchips! Learning about Mycology has changed my life for the better! New wildlife has moved in too, to help out with all the bugs that the woodchips attract. Yes, the beetle population has exploded bcuz of the woodchips. Just take care to NOT have any chips up against the house, and nature will take care of the rest! For instance, bcuz of the woodchips, we now have a resident Screech Owl who we built an owl house for! It's SO CUTE!! And it's only the size of a coca-cola can!! JUST ADORABLE!! I never thought I would have an owl living in my suburban yard, it's just the coolest thing! We built the owl house out of free pallet wood, so not having to pay for an owl house is a nice bonus! (They are quite expensive to buy over here!) I also see many small dragonflies every day cruising over top of the woodchip beds! We don't have a pond, none of our immediate neighbors have a pond either, but here they are, they just show up!! They are great at catching any mosquitos that like to hang above the woodchips. Even if the woodchips aren't moist on the top layer, they ARE moist underneath. And those dragonflies are PROOF of that! Besides, who doesn't LOVE to garden alongside dragonflies!! My native soil is also flourishing with the woodchip addition too! I'm seriously considering having at least 5 MORE truckloads of woodchips dropped here this Winter! Yep. FIVE !!! (Only, don't tell my husband about the 5 truckloads, I haven't broken the news to him yet!!) I just can't have too many!! They really do break down into less than half their size in a relatively short time. I'm definitely going to need more!! I use (or recycle) every rock, stone, and boulder, I dig up to line my garden beds & even build walls to hardscape the landscape. I'm in Texas, and it's hot, and some years we have droughts in my area, some years we have flash floods. So the addition of large stones & boulders help keep plant roots cool, moist, and happy, as well as hold back the soil from erosion. I also plan on building some gabion walls to help guide flash flood drainage. Everything this video was about is, in my opinion, extremely good advice! Excellent Video!! 👍 Save The Fireflies!! ✨️💡✨️💡✨️💡✨️ Save The Hedgehogs!!! 🦔🦔🦔🦔🦔

[@kt9495]

I’m also in Texas! Love your philosophy 🙌✌🏼🌿

[@gardengatesopen]

@@kt9495 Woodchips are AWESOME!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! And it's great to know about the Fireflies.

[@bewoodford2807]

Great video with lots of ideas. Thank you Alexandra, I have bark/woodchip paths and the birds do love them, but I am constantly sweeping and tidying them as they throw it everywhere. happy gardening 🙂

[@dustyflats3832]

😂😂that’s what our roosters do only on a large scale😂. Rascals.

[@coriooo8886]

Wonderful, interesting and inspiring video! Thanks so much, Alexandra! It's always a pleasure to meet someone with great expertise. 👍

[@Barbara-k4q]

Good questioning Alexandra 👍

[@philipsmith7913]

Sage advice. An excellent reminder to us all.

[@barbarahenn-pander5872]

I loved the slowing and sinking of the rain. I really love the aesthetic of aged, slightly neglected materials. The garden is a place to lower the standards and let things (and ourselves) slow down.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It is!

[@joecity9]

Wood chips are great for paths. People around here like to paint large rocks with lego-coloured enamel. It is more hideous than you can imagine. The only thing worse is used tires given the same treatment.

[@LouciferFlump]

Oh god, that sounds awful! 😖

[@belwynne1386]

American South?

[@lauravalenzuela2233]

@@belwynne1386You see old tires painted in California too, and used as planters!

[@dustyflats3832]

Or painting spent flowers in the garden 🙄. Really?

[@silencedogood9747]

​@@belwynne1386 never seen that here where I live and I'm in the south. Sounds like California to me.

[@lbrowning2543]

Really important information!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

I think so!

[@topaz3468]

Fantastic ideas!! I have been recycling lots of things I currently have in the garden at the moment. And adding so many beneficial insects this season. The dragonflies have been abundant as well.😊

[@LifeHomeandGardenwithAnaRica]

Great info, Tips, and Idea. Thank you

[@kunalkishore2938]

Excellent insightful video.....👌

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you liked it

[@roovawal]

Such great ideas and suggestions. It has confirmed a thought to use wood chip as paths. Loved this video thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad it was helpful!

[@tinkerbell9399]

Great video Alexandra, your guest is so knowledgeable, and the Walworth garden is amazing! We like to recycle wherever possible. We recently obtained all for free roof tiles, roof joists, which are all lovely seasoned wood, and scaffold boards. My husband has built 2 log sheds, and large outdoor shelves that house everything from sea shells the grandchildren have found to pine cones, and small ornaments we found in the garden when we moved in 3yrs ago. We picked up 30 recycled paving slabs to make a new path to the shed recently, and they are well aged, and will look like they’ve been there for ever! Thanks for your interesting interview, it’s always an education ❤️🇬🇧

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

That all sounds brilliant! And thank you!

[@lindsaymason6979]

Wish I could give this video 10 thumbs up! Fantastic job!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you liked it!

[@debmacdonald1661]

Love this!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! it was so interesting to do!

[@chriscrossing1388]

This video is definitely among your very best. Thanks a lot for it.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, that's lovely to hear

[@NadineTouzet]

Very interesting video! I have a rule that whatever gets into the yard or is already here, has to remain in the yard so I need ideas. But my house is new so I have very few materials to recycle, apart from all the flint stones brought up by the building. I don’t have a patio yet, but there were lots of ideas here. I wish this organisation was operating in France too!

[@karenannaluisa3370]

I think the encouragement is not only to recycle your own old material but to reuse old materials and buy at local garage sales or fleamarkets to give things a second life (and help reducing what goes to the landfill) instead of using always new things as much as possible. Especially when you are in a new house and start with constructing your garden.

[@NadineTouzet]

@@karenannaluisa3370 I had got it, but every situation is different and one has to do their best with what they have access to.

[@stampinghippo7157]

Very interesting! We are currently planning a new veranda. I did not expect the pricetag used stone comes in, but it looks so much better! Thank you for this new perspective on gardening!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! I was trying to be quite careful about the 'saves you money' aspect because, as you say, some used stone is quite pricy, but it is still worth it because it is so beautiful.

[@dustyflats3832]

This reminds me of the comment a tax assessor said when asked why the taxes were so high-that he’s seen some really nice floors made from recycled materials 😏 so beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Another assessor said a cement patio is lower taxed than wood because of the work involved-lol, Really?!

[@gracepeterson7483]

Another excellent video, Alexandra. Just last week I found an almost perfect role of wire fencing, laying in a driveway (with a few other things) and a sign that said, FREE. This is a subject near and dear to my heart. 💚

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes! That's another great source of recycled materials. Thank you

[@juliabinford6500]

I recently had some large stone pavers reset, but they are not concreted in place. I wanted the permeability. I stopped the video, in order to transplant some ground cover in between the stones. Thank goodness you use your powers of influence for good!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

It will look so pretty when it gets established. and thank you.

[@LIZ-pp6jo]

This has been my favourite video so far on this channel. I suspect it is one I shall watch several times over. This gentleman is fascinating to listen to and correct in everything he says.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@rabbitgregory9289]

I love the idea of using rubble. I have a pile of old bricks that have been stacked up for over 20 years; I’m glad I didn’t get rid of them. Great video. Thanks.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@beckyscheller9358]

Great video. Loved this❤. More please

[@barbarahenn-pander5872]

One important consideration to this approach is that there is a lot of patience and potential frustration as you try to get the materials together. It can take a long time but the results are unique and beautiful. It is basically a lifestyle.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, you are right. There's no 'instant makeover' about this approach but it's quite flexible and allows for mistakes

[@kerryjean2223]

I have oodles of Brownie points. I hate landfill. I love aged concrete. I love rock's and stones. I've loved freebies on Facebook Marketplace, or even inexpensive coloured clay pots of all sizes. I love God's creatures and try to provide what they need to be happy in the beautiful garden God has graced me with and the ability, time, and inclination to out in it tweeking every day of the year, praise His glorious Name.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Lovely.

[@lizmorris206]

Great ideas. Thanks.

[@rickvandijk]

I love the holistic approach to choosing planting and materials for gardens. It’s a completely environmentally ‘aware’ take on working with what you have, instead of working against it. Very nice.

[@lorrainel2314]

I attend open gardens (Open Gardens Victoria 🇦🇺) and get ideas about garden materials and recycled stuff. I now love gravel paths and, like you, don’t worry too much about weeds if they aren’t causing any problems. Thanks

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Open Gardens are great for ideas, I agree.

[@janewalster5613]

I appreciate Oli Haden's comment about sitting with the idea that something may look strange and comparing this with thoughts about how the "strange" look may help the environment in the long run. I am slowing making more thoughtful choices in my garden. Loved this video!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, and I thought it was a brilliant way of looking at things too.

[@clarecollins2547]

Another great video, informative and interesting. As someone with a pocket handkerchief sized garden i loved the dustbin lid pond with pebbles in it. ❤

[@emit8242]

Thank you Alexandra🙏🏼, it's such a great pleasure to watch once again one of your Videos💐. You are doing such a great thing🌹. Best greetings from Emilia, Austria, Viena🌺

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you so much, that's very kind of you to say so

[@mitzi605]

Fantastic!

[@elgranjuanito817]

Thank you, Alexandra! What an invaluable video! This incredible gentleman makes me reconsider my paradigm when it comes to gardening. I have a piles of “junk” (old wood, pavers, bricks, etc.) that is sitting on these side of the house and could be reused in the garden.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@laugracemartin]

I am working on re-designing my garden and this video has been extremely insightful, thank you

[@richardchittenden1030]

Your channel is consistently great. Thanks 🙂

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@binxiao6175]

Just came across your channel. Such an inspiration. I am a landscape designer and find your work amazing! A large source of professional information. Thanks so much for sharing! Greetings from China!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, that's lovely to hear

[@RandeeHalladay]

Your videos are so enjoyable and lovely to see. Thank you.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@dianepuskas6362]

The point made about feeling good struck home for me. Overspending on plant or hard scape materials does not sit well for me and never gives me that “good” feeling. Thank you for saying out loud that reusing materials is acceptable, preferable, and attractive. Have a great week!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@dustyflats3832]

We have always upcycled what we could get. What I’ve found is that since so many turned to gardening after the pandemic many items weren’t available anymore and now with recession it’s still difficult to find things almost like depression era. I don’t use social media to find free or cheap either as I’m not comfortable with it. I do struggle with eclectic vs formal gardening with found items, but with all the fencing to protect from wildlife it’s near impossible to have formal. We do make use of arborist chips as we have a great resource for them and I have huge piles to get moved so that’s what my paths are…now if I could only get the roosters to stop kicking them about 😅. Yes, to quality tools! I like to find light weight well balanced tools. The difference I found in weight between the old garden rake and a new aluminum one was a game changer. Nice info, thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you! And yes, good lightweight tools are wonderful.

[@suesandlin-plaehn3565]

Love your excellent programs.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@LF-qe5gr]

Superb video! Loved this one so much. Gave me quite a lot of new info I hadn't heard before even though I've been reading around the subject a lot already! Thank you

[@marcelocardosogama]

Marvelous interview! So much vital knowledge, I will surely watch it again and again.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@tanyastephens3187]

I agree about the wood chips. It's a shame a "waste" product is not a cheap product. I have a chipper which is an amazing addition to my garden tools. After watching this video ...I then binge watched three more! All excellent.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you, that's great to hear.

[@mariehay6495]

Great video. I wish I could be as persuasive as him, about environmentally friendly practices, with my gardening clients. Will be working on it!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Hope it goes well!

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

I had a landscaper install a path in my small garden. He proposed brick ($22,000) which i didn't have. I chose leaving the path in crushed granite which he had never heard of! Several times he has sent clients to see my path. I love it! It's a wonderful seedbed too.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Sounds beautiful.

[@Kara_2505]

Great, interesting! Love his principles and ideas. What a huge difference we would make if everyone first thought about the impact of a decision. You can extrapolate his vision, train of thought and ideas to all aspects of life. Looking forward to your next video!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you - yes, he was so interesting.

[@guillermocedielblanco1207]

Wonderful video Alexandra! We're in the proccess of creating our new garden (actually it's a patio) in our home in Segovia, Spain, where we'll have to recycle a lot of materials (wood, stone, etc), and this video has been of great help. Lot of interesting info and advices. Thanks!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

So glad to hear that.

[@daiseegray9110]

Great information! Such good information and suggestions. Thanks for bringing such valuable information it many! 🌼🐝

[@camillaluckey4136]

I am experimenting with choppe- up concrete as a “mulch circle” around young fruit trees to discourage deer; they don’t like that paving.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Interesting!

[@zonabrown9241]

❤this is the most interesting video makes so much sense thank you❤

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you think so! We very much enjoyed making it.

[@sofielys5452]

Fantastic video! Does anyone else think this man looks like an older and more distinguished Antonio Banderas? 😂

[@bevlewis3647]

Such a useful video with really good advice. Has made me reconsider a couple of things I was going to do - so thank you!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

So nice to hear!

[@magspies]

Fantastic video and very interesting info...rethinking some garden ideas!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you!

[@av1718]

This was so informative and delightful. Thinking about the why is a good way to reframe things in you mind before making the default decision because "that's just how it is" (like with the patio example). I will take that forward.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mariejacobs9721]

Very interesting, thank you. 🌷

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@deniecedonnafield5264]

Beautiful but fine and dandy.. Depending on where you live.. Some overgrowth where one may walk might be harboring venomous snakes.. I could only imagine some places poisonous insects... I remember sitting down in my yard to pull up chickweed a nice clump but low to the ground.. as I begin to pull... A pilot snake was hanging around... As he went one way, I went the other... My days of pulling weeds by hand have been pretty much over..

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, I do see that could be a problem!

[@sarahjones-jf4pr]

The beauty of weeds ......Not for me .However re used stone and sleepers and old tiles definately and by the way your garden is lovely .

[@andrewwoodgate3769]

Inspiring!

[@lorimiller623]

Concrete is not only impermeable but expensive! It cost over $3,000 to have some steps and a few squares of sidewalk torn out and replaced. If my patio ever needs to be replaced, it's going to be with grass (which grows easily here).

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, absolutely. I was wary of saying too much about how eco-friendly garden design saves you money because there are so many elements and so much depends on how you adapt advice for your own garden, but the cost of concrete is definitely a big factor.

[@camillaluckey4136]

New and “ultimate” recycled product is BioChar, developed in Colorado and expanding to Virginia. (Floyd Couny). Turns waste woods thru 1200 degree Fahrenheit burn into slivers that hold water and otherwise improve soil. Take a look!!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Yes, we have BioChar in the UK too, and it seems like a good product.

[@lauravalenzuela2233]

Regarding ponds: They are problematic here due to mosquitos. Do you have that problem there? How do you deal with mosquito?

[@kt9495]

You can add a floating solar fountain to keep the water moving.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

We don't have quite as much trouble with mosquitoes as some countries, so I think different precautions would be needed but keeping the water moving and having quite deep water (deeper than 12") are two strategies that I have seen recommended (and encouraging bats who eat 3,000 mosquitoes a night, although that's a bit harder!)

[@LV-qr8fr]

add high points for dragonflies, shallow moving water is where dragonfly will lay eggs and the movement will help too with mosquito breeding. The more natural mosquito predators you can create a habitat for, the less mosquitos. In my area there is also a fish distribution by the county for folks with mosquito prone water bodies on their land.

[@lauravalenzuela2233]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden Thank you

[@KarinLowrie-vi9cv]

I appreciate this information! I have been using wood chips from our area for my sitting areas instead of concrete. It works beautifully! I was worried about carrying wood into my home but it really isn’t a problem. Also, I hear often about purchasing quality gardening tools. It makes sense! I sure would like to find quality tools in my area but poor quality is all that seems to be offered. I may have to begin looking online. Does anyone have suggestions?

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Dan Cooper has some useful advice in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZa2nIqfn7Shl8k

[@kevinjamesparr552]

Elephant and Castle was really Emphanta of Castille .The Spanish Princess who was guest of King Henry at Windsor Castle .Somehow the Londoner could not say the Princess title so over time the road was called after her .By time pub was built Elephant and castle appeared out of the girls title and birth place

[@SMElder-iy6fl]

We are in our third summer of now "extreme" drought. Despite copious watering, many plants have died. The native plants are thriving with little to no watering! Guess what I'm learning for future planting!

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

We're all looking at resilient plants because our very hot dry summer was followed by exceptionally wet one! But generally we're all doing more drought planting

[@kevinjamesparr552]

I found a quarry that sold me a ton of pebbles for paths at 24 euro a ton .So all my paths will be gravel stone over time

[@MariaPalmer-xo8eb]

If cost really is an issue , pallets are good , heat treated , not tannelised. Then paint with a water based wood treatment.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Good suggestion

[@pansepot1490]

Don’t use bricks on paths, patios, edging and similar unless they are frost resistant. Recycling bricks that were meant for walls as pavers is a very bad idea. It takes a lot of work to lay down and after a few years they start to chip, crack and eventually crumble. Guess how I know.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

You are so right! I'll add that into the accompanying blog post.

[@Flower_hoarder]

💚

[@kevinjamesparr552]

Not a patio ever its an English Terrace

[@sunnygem21]

An extremely interesting discussion, thank you. I was thinking of woodchip for garden paths and it's nice to be encouraged that it's a good choice. I would like to have a pond in the future but I'm nervous just now as my children are very young.

[@TheMiddlesizedGarden]

Thank you and I agree that it's wise to be very cautious around small children and water. I know people who have created a raised pond, so that toddlers can't stumble into it and have also fitted a metal grid on top. The wildlife isn't bothered by the grid but it would stop a child falling in.

[@sunnygem21]

@@TheMiddlesizedGarden what great ideas. Thank you!