Make sure you're cultivating an eco friendly garden this summer with these tips from the experts

1. Letting off steam

'Lining terracotta pots with old supermarket carrier bags reduces the amount of water that naturally evaporates through the porous clay and so cuts down on the amount of water you use. Remember to prick a few holes in the bottom for drainage. Mulch the soil in the pot with pebbles, chippings, old wine corks or bottle tops to reduce evaporation too.'
Jac Flower, garden designer and radio presenter

2. Happy plant, healthy plant

'Stressed plants get sick fast, so always plant according to the demands of the plant, not the demands of the gardener! Take time to identify the various characteristics and ecology of your plot and pick plants accordingly. Healthy plants get fewer pests and diseases, which in turn reduces the need for pesticides. That's less stress on the environment and less stress for the gardener.'
Matt James, garden designer and TV presenter

3. Layers for the summer

'With summer droughts increasingly predicted due to global warming, accompanied by hosepipe bans in many areas, it makes sense to wise up to potential water shortages in your garden. Mulches are a layer of material, such as garden compost, gravel or bark chip, laid on bare soil. They should be applied in early spring as the soil starts to warm up, but is still moist. A mulch approximately five centimetres deep will help to combat weeds and help to retain precious moisture in the soil during the rest of the year.

In several gardens I have been involved in designing I have used an impressive mulching product from environmentally sound manufacturer Dunweedin', which is made from 100 per cent recycled tyres. I highly recommend it.'
Kim Wilde, garden designer and TV presenter

4. Make your own compost

'My tip is to get going on producing your own compost. Use kitchen waste, grass cuttings and garden waste, let it rot down over the year, and once it has reached that lovely dark colour, add it as a mulch to vegetable beds. Organic matter will greatly benefit any soil from clay to sandy by adding nutrients, helping water retention and aiding natural drainage. Take care of your soil and your plants will thrive.'
Hannah Genders, garden designer and TV presenter

5. Go wild

'Let some parts of your lawn go wild and see what comes up. Two square metres of uncut grass produces enough oxygen to provide an adult with a year's supply.'
Cleve West, garden designer and TV presenter

6. Grow your own

'Reduce food miles by growing your own. Copy traditional South American gardeners and grow the three sisters: courgettes to suppress the weeds, a tripod of beans to feed the soil and sweetcorn, a must for the barbecue.'
Dr Jo Elworthy, Director of Learning, Eden Project

Source: Christian Aid