A look at innovative, eco-friendly products for your backyard.

Best Fertilizer: TerraCycle’s All-Natural Liquid Worm Poop Garden Fertilizer

TerraCycle’s All-Natural Liquid Worm Poop Garden Fertilizer is by far the greenest way to green your garden. Guided by TerraCycle’s mandate to eliminate waste, this fertilizer is both made from and packaged in it. Worm tailings are harvested from organic-waste fed worms and packaged in reused plastic pop bottles collected by Bottle Brigades. The Brigades, made up of community groups from across North America, receive $0.05 in exchange for each container, supporting local fundraising initiatives and diverting waste. The result: a potent fertilizer with environmental and social benefits.

Price: $14.99

Best Lawn Mower: Sunlawn LMM 40 Push Reel Mower

When it comes to environmentally friendly lawn care, manual mowers are the clear choice over energy-consumptive gas and electric lawn mowers. Sunlawn’s Push Reel Mower (Model LMM 40) has adjustable height settings and a lightweight design, allowing you to keep a manicured lawn while minimizing unnecessary noise and emissions.

Price: $179.00

Best Deck: Renew Resources’ Deck Tiles

Renew Resources’ Deck Tiles offer a great alternative to pressure-treated wood decks. Made instead from recycled industrial plastic, these pre-assembled deck tiles can be laid on top of a hard surface to create an appealing patio space without harmful chemical treatments. 

Price: $20.00 for each 22.75"x 22.75" tile

Best Planting Pot: TerraCycle’s Urban Art Pot

TerraCycle’s Urban Art Pots offer yet another way to bring social and environmental responsibility into your garden. Made from discarded electronic equipment, the pots give new life to plastic otherwise headed for the landfill. What’s more, TerraCycle’s partnership with inner city artists in Trenton, NJ supports artistic endeavors while creating unique hand-painted pots. 

Price: $11.99

Best Outdoor Furniture: CRP Product’s Generations Line

CRP Product’s Generations Line outdoor furniture offers an environmentally conscientious way to enjoy your garden. Made of 100% recycled plastic, this line of outdoor furniture is durable, maintenance-free and available in a variety of colours and styles.

Stewardship in the Garden
While many Canadians enjoy gardening as a hobby, few recognize its potential for enhancing urban greenspace. A 2006 Swedish study suggests that private gardens play a key role in maintaining urban biodiversity. Such gardens often contain a rich variety of plants, animals and insects. Indeed, private gardens are particularly important for supporting pollinator populations in urban areas. The study concludes that urban greenspace policies ought to incorporate private garden capacities into planning and management strategies. Thankfully, there’s no need to wait for such changes to be implemented as there are many simple steps you can take immediately to make your garden more environmentally friendly.
 
Best plants: Native Species
If you are planning a garden, consider planting native plant species. Since native plants have evolved in your region, these species are already adapted to local conditions. This means that they can thrive without adding water or chemical fertilizers. Moreover, native plants provide food and habitat for local wildlife. For information regarding which species are most suitable for your region, check out Evergreen’s Native Plant Database.