Val Payn of the Green Gardens Project is writing a book about ecologically sustainable gardens in South Africa. She is looking for gardens that would provide good examples of inspiring, attractive, well planned and managed, ecologically sustainable gardens, to feature as inspirational and practical examples in her book.

She is looking for innovative and attractive gardens that could be considered inspiring examples of the following:

Wildlife gardens (attractive and friendly to wildlife):

Indigenous plant gardens
Perennial food gardens
Organic food gardens
Craft gardens (a wide variety of plants that can be used for crafts)
Spiritual and cultural gardens (gardens that reflect spiritual or cultural traditions)
Water-wise gardens (gardens that are designed to conserve water)

Regional gardens (ie with a strong regional character that reflect the surrounding natural environment):

Sub-tropical forest gardens
Bushveld gardens
Dryland gardens
Grassland gardens
Fynbos gardens

Historical gardens (gardens that reflect South African gardening history/ architecture - in particular by use of ‘Heritage’ plants/landraces)
Permaculture gardens
Organic gardens
Biodynamic gardens
Restoration gardens (gardens that have been used to restore wasted or degraded land, or that promote restoration and long term maintenance of eco-system services)
Community gardens (gardens planned, used and managed by community groups for the benefit of local communities)
Gardens designed and managed in a way that reduces the use of non-renewable and scarce resources and toxic chemical
Gardens that reuses or recycle waste product
Gardens that promote ecological, cultural and regional diversity and self-sufficiency
Gardens that promotes innovative ways of land use/ landscape and garden architecture according to the above
Gardens that have long term benefits for both human and natural communities
Any other sort of garden that you think could be considered ecologically sustainable

If you have a garden that you think would fit into any of the above categories, then contact Val via email. Send a few photographs and a short description (a paragraph or two) of why you think your garden could be considered ecologically sustainable.

Photo source: the natural no lawn solution