Reducing our footprint

This page summarises what we are doing, albeit in our small way, to work towards contributing to the sustainability of the planet.

• Encouraging the establishment of a natural corridor by leaving areas to go semi-wild
• Encouraging newly arrived deciduous trees to establish themselves (we can thank the jays for the first part of that process)
• Minimising car use for taking out garden waste
• Minimising car use for bringing in compost
• Minimising car use for taking out fallen branches
• Minimising car use for bringing in wood to fuel the fireplace in winter
• Of course, the compost heap and the winter fire convert biomass back to carbon dioxide and water vapour, but this is just part of a very small, and contained, carbon cycle, and in any case would have happened anyway at the municiple tip, but at the cost of the extra petrol to take the biomass there
• Contemplating the biofuels project
• Minimising the use of plastic bin-liners to contain waste material
• Minimising car use for transferring earth and gravel for landscaping
• Collection of recycle waste
• Choreography of opening and closing doors and windows, early each morning, and late each evening, during the hot summer days, to minimise the need for air-conditioning
• Minimising car use by teleworking
• Minimising the number of air-miles per year

Monty Don (2013), "The Road to Le Tholonet: A French Garden Journey", Simon and Schuster, London, UK, ISBN 978-1-47111-458-8, gives some indication of the large spectrum of gardens, and the agendas to which they work. It seemed appropriate to set down on paper a mission statement for our own garden, to help us to focus better on what it is that we are hoping to do with it. It could not be described as a pretty garden, by English cottage-garden standards, and is not a well-kept one by "Gardener's World" standards. Unfortunately, the description of Jas de Boufan in Chapter 2 describes our garden, too (albeit ours being on a much smaller scale, 2606 m²): "The garden is not up to much. Good trees, areas of scratchy grass, the pond (...) as green as the (mountain pine) that shades it. But (little) sense of it being tended or designed, (few) flower beds or structure as such, just the grass cut now and then."

The guests who come to eat with us on our small terrace never ask to go round the garden. Our garden is really just there to serve as a pleasant backdrop to the meal table on the terrace; and a pleasant space for us to do any subsequent sieste in; and a pleasant space to tinker around in, when we do occasionally put in the effort to stop it reverting to European wilderness or North African desert. Also, we intend that it should provide a habitat, or corridor, for wildlife. Moreover, we wish to reduce our footprint caused by our energy-demands and waste-disposing burdens (sourcing fuel, and composting waste, locally); and we wish to provide as much as a haven as possible for wildlife.

A map of the garden, viewed metaphorically as a research faculty, shows that it can be divided into several distinct areas. It is possible to break the garden down into these various areas (either natural, or artificial constructions, like sheds and compost heaps) and to write mission statements for those, too. Then, the process can be repeated recursively for each of the components in each area (such as individual trees, shrubs and perennial plants). Where these mission statements diverge from those of the level above, it might be an indication that something needs to be reconsidered or adjusted. For the most part, the areas can be given names that are effectively their mission statements (the car-park area has, as its mission, to provide an area in which cars can be parked, for example).

Area A: Car-park area

A largish round-about for circulation during normal times, becoming temporary guest-parking, when necessary. Valerian pushes up, self seeded, in many places round the garden, and adds a welcome splash of colour. In front of the gate is where the gaillard seems most able to self-seed. Closed-circuit fountain. Box tree border. Medieval wall area. Battle with the invasive brambles.

Trees: #47 Fig (left of gate) 6,3 m in 2010/2012; #48 Fig (left of gate) 5,8 m in 2010/2012; #2 Cedar (left of gate) 20,3 m in 2010/2012; #3 Spruce (right of gate) 9,8 m in 2010/2012; #49 Japanese cherry 4,4 m in 2010/2012; #7 Pine (centre of car-park) 9,8 m in 2010/2012; #50 Mulberry (tree house) (died 2020) , used to be pollarded, 3,1 m in 2010/2012; #51 Mulberry (corner of car park), often pollarded, 3,3 m in 2010/2012.

The Japanese cherry is in full blossom for 14 days, with a very abrupt end (all the petals suddenly fall to the ground, as if the whole tree has just sneezed). This date has been recorded for some years: 30-Apr-2010, 18-Apr-2011, 18-Apr-2020, 24-Apr-2021, 23-Apr-2022, 15-Apr-2023, 25-Apr-2025.

Area B: Bench-seat area

Table and seating under the cedar tree. Bench-seat niche, with self-seeded oak saplings. Beginnings of a landscaped mound (mission: to add texture to the terrain; to divert rain-water away from running towards the neighbour's house; to be a labour-saving area for disposing of small woody waste; and to provide a habitat for wildlife). Battle with the invasive thorn-tree acacia.

Trees: #4 Cedar (right of gate) 21,4 m in 2010/2012; #5 Spruce (far corner) (cut Sep-2020) 8,9 m in 2010/2012; #6 Blue conifer (far corner) (cut Sep-2020) 9,6 m in 2010/2012.

Area C: Pine walk area

Pine tree scented walk in the height of summer. Self-seeded thyme, plus club hyacynths, wild orchids in the spring. Five-shrubs area (mission: to screen the view of the neighbour's house) planted in the beginnings of a landscaped mound (mission: to add texture to the terrain; to divert rainwater away from running towards the neighbour's house). Monoculture hedge to be encouraged to becoming a more diverse hedge (mission: to screen the view of the neighbour's house). Wood-chopping area (mission: to be a labour-saving area for disposing of large woody waste; to provide fuel for winter burning). Euphorbia chariacas pushes up in several places round the garden, as an interesting plant in small doses, but irritating when it starts to get too prolific. Battle with the invasive thorn-tree acacia.

Trees: #8 Pine (central) 15,7 m in 2010/2012; #9 Spruce (cut 11-Sep-2023, age 41) 8,8 m in 2010/2012; #10t Cypress (summer-solstice rising-sun side of house) 10,1 m in 2010/2012; #10s Cypress (corner of house) 8,0 m in 2010/2012; #12 Blue cedar 12,0 m in 2010/2012.

Area D: Upper-lawn reclining and reading area

Sun-recliners and tidy drying-frames for washing. Forsythia bush. Self-seeded poppy area, and field scabius throughout.

Trees: #13a Olive 3,1 m in 2010/2012; #13b Olive 3,5 m in 2010/2012; #14a Olive #26a (died) 2,0 m in 2010/2012; #14b Olive #26b (died) 1,8 m in 2010/2012.

Area E: Swing and hammock area

Children's swing frame alternatively used to support a hammock. Ex-willow-tree flower bed, and the patches around the legs of the frame of the swing, are irrigated by the four outlet drains from the septic tank. The rambling rose climbing one of the legs of the swing has been particularly successful.

Trees: #15 Yew 4,2 m in 2010/2012; #27 Weeping willow (died c2014) 8,1 m in 2010/2012.

Area F: Lower-lawn green-expanse area

This is the main part of the view that the diners see from the terrace. It ceases to live up to the green part of its mission in late July to August. There is very little grass left in the lawn, but the carpet of ground plants shows up as a carpet of violets in the early spring. Rosemary and lavender grow well enough, in the surrounding beds, along with self-seeded honesty (though 2025 has seen little of them).

One of the most attended-to flower beds in the garden, but still a constant battle again the grueling summer sun. Honeysuckle, too, originally introduced to mask the fence, tends to take over all.

Trees: #16 Pear 2,1 m in 2010/2012; #17 Willow (squirrel bed), often pollarded, 7,4 m in 2010/2012; #18 Poplar (squirrel bed) 10,3 m in 2010/2012; #19 Bouleau 5,4 m in 2010/2012.

Area G: Pond area

The mission of the pond is to be an attractive feature, and to provide a habitat for wildlife. With a depth of no more than one metre, a closed-circuit water-fall, and crossed NW-SE by a small bridge, and containing lily pads, water irises, gold-fish, carp and cambusie (to eat any mosquito larvae). The first step in the construction of the pond was the digging of an archaeological test-pit, a one-metre cube, which yielded minute fragments of pottery and glass down to 40 cm, then nothing until rounded pebbles down at 100 cm (from when the region had been a riverbed in prehistoric times). Michelmas daisies. Tables and seating on the path round the back. Failed vegetable patch, and a cat cemetery. Battle with the invasive brambles.

The pond serves as a chilling metaphor for the situation of mankind on this small blue marble or oasis in the inhospitable vastness of space. Just like the fish in our small pond, we are prisoners in tight confinement, powerless to control external influences (drought, mud build-up, near-earth objects and supernovae); and able to make everything orders of magnitude worse by internal influences (exhausting the resources, unbalancing the ecosystems, and polluting the materials that we are immersed in.

Trees: #20 Poplar, often pollarded, 8,5 m in 2010/2012.

Area H: Lilac-walk area

Lilac hedge (mission: to be an attractive feature in spring; to provide a habitat for wildlife; and to screen the view of the neighbour's house).

Trees: #26 Lilac hedge 3,5 m in 2010/2012; #23 Fir (on humock) 2,9 m in 2010/2012; #22 Maritime pine (on humock, but died in 2924) 2,5 m in 2010/2012; #21 Nectarine (died) 1,6 m in 2010/2012.

Area I: Hedge-row area

Two failed vegetable patches, now given over to lavender. Battle with the invasive brambles.

Trees: #26 Poplar hedge, often pollarded, 7,9 m in 2010/2012.

Area J: Metal shed area

Metal shed (mission storage of household items); behind serves as a depot for empty flower pots.

One of the most attended-to flower beds in the garden, built in to a metal bed frame. Honeysuckle, originally climbing up an old tree stump, has to be ruthlessly kept under control.

Mean temperature (2009 to 2020) in °C in the morning (at 07:30):

Trees: #24 Spruce (vegetable plot) 10,9 m in 2010/2012; #25 Mikocolier (breakfast table) 4,6 m in 2010/2012.

Area K: Avenue-walk area

Branching along the swimming pool embankment. Two failed vegetable patches, now given over to lavender by the swimming-pool pump.

Total rainfall (2010 to 2020) in mm (giving a total for the average year of 682,4):

Trees: #28 Walnut 7,2 m in 2010/2012; #29 Peche de Vigne Blanche (died) 1,9 m in 2010/2012; #30 Apricot Muscat (died) 2,4 m in 2010/2012; #31 Mirabelle (accidentally cut Mar-2020) 2,7 m in 2010/2012; #32 Apple (avenue) (died Aug-2020) 2,7 m in 2010/2012.

Area L: Composting area

Two compost heaps, this year's and last year's (mission: primarily, to be a low-transport solution to disposing of natural waste; secondarily, to provide a supply of compost; and to provide a habitat for wildlife). It had started as three heaps: the first was the mature one for extracting compost, the second last year's heap being transferred, just one layer at a time, to the third heap, in alternation with each layer of grass-cuttings that was added. In this way, the need to turn the heap could be avoided. Then, however, on "Gardener's World," it was noted that the main reason for collecting the grass-cuttings was not this, but to make sure that the lawn did not become over nourished. We realised that our lawn was so poor that it could do with the extra nourishment, thereby also releasing us from the need to keep emptying the grass-box. Meanwhile, the "Gardener's World" advice to use the lawn-mower to shred up the autumn leaves was specifically ruled out in the instruction manual for the lawn-mower. Consequently, we took to mowing the lawn in a clockwise spiral from the outer circumference inwards, with the grass-box flap held open (also out of specification, of course, according to the instruction manual) to cut the grass and any loose-lying leaves (all being thrown out of the exit point to the left of the user, hence the need to trace the inward-growing spiral path in the clockwise direction). Although we do not use any chemical selective weed-killers, the lawn-mower is a mechanical selective weed-killer, designed to be less unfavourable to grass, and inadvertently to daisies, forget-me-nots, clover, mint, leeks, wild garlic, and allium flowers.

Trees: #33 Pine (corner of pool) 15,7 m in 2010/2012; #35 Cedar (twins) (died Aug-2020) 13,8 m in 2010/2012; #36 Sycamore 7,3 m in 2010/2012; #37 Sycamore 9,5 m in 2010/2012.

Area M: Table-tennis area

Table-tennis table, first wooden shed (mission: storage of craft and artwork), second wooden shed (mission: storage of tools and lawn-mowers), third wooden shed (mission: storage of garden furnishings). Viewable from the dining-room and the kitchen, this area really ought to be made as pretty as an English garden.

Trees:` #38 Cedar 14,7 m in 2010/2012; #39 White fluff tree (by sheds) 15,7 m in 2010/2012; #40 Sycamore 9,6 m in 2010/2012; #41 Pologna (dining room) (cut c2014) 11,2 m in 2010/2012.

Area N: Swimming-pool area

Open-air swimming-pool, on the winter-solstice setting-sun side of house. Decking surround, on two sides, for sun-recliners, screened by a metal fence covered by honey-suckle and passion flower. The pool itself is small, at 5.53 m by 2.43 m (giving a surface area of 13.4 m²) by 1.33 m (giving a volume of 18 m³). The decking of the surround is raised up above ground level, and the sides of the pool rise up above that, with the water level about 0.03 m below the top edge. The slope of the garden can be measured with respect to this, at 2.95 m drop down to the pond area (Area G) over a distance of 43.7 m (between the nearest-most edge of the pond and the furthest-most edge of the swimming pool), thereby giving a gradient of 1 in17, or 6% (admittedly ending slightly above ground level at the furthest-most end of the swimming pool).

Mean temperature (2010 to 2020) in °C in the morning (at 07:30):

Area O: Water-well area

Passing underneath the garden, an underground canal was built in medieval times to supply the ch‰teau with water from an artificial lake some 6 km away. This is dipped into to provide hosepipe water for the garden.

Trees: #42 Red Laurel 3,0 m in 2010/2012; #43 White Fig 5,1 m in 2010/2012; #44 White Laurel 3,0 m in 2010/2012; #45 Red Fig 5,5 m in 2010/2012; #46 Red Fig 7,9 m in 2010/2012.

Area P: House and front apron area

Guest appartment outside eating area.

Trees: three box in large pots.

Area Q: House and terrace area

Terrace for outdoor eating (March to December). We could not have designed it better if we had tried: in winter, all the leaves fall away, allowing in the sun on this south-facing exterior room; in the summer, the bignonne presents a thick leafy screen to the hot summer sun, and shields the eating area from any wind, making a leafy rectangular box in which citronelle candles can build up an atmosphere that discourages even mosquitoes to enter. Moveable rose and jasmin garden, focusing on highly scented varieties. Recycle collection point (glass pots and bottles, plastic bottles, metal cans). Wood and paper ash, from the fireplace inside the house, is returned to the compost.

Trees: potted roses and jasmin, on the terrace, with bay and lavender below.