As we face an uncertain future with a changing climate, as garden designers and horticulturists we are uniquely placed to act in a favourable way to the challenges that we face. At Fisher Tomlin & Bowyer we are committed to improving the way that we work and the outcomes that we can influence through our work.
The drivers for sustainable development are economic well-being, social equity, cultural preservation and environmental protection. Whilst our main impact can be in the last of these drivers we also have a role to play with our work in other areas especially social equity where we support organisations such as Blind Veterans UK, Veterans’ Growth and Greenfingers with our expertise.
In our work we commit to the following key challenges.
- Energy input
To minimise energy input by designing to minimise materials, informed plant selection and reducing maintenance that requires machinery. We aim to source from suppliers that aim not to use chemicals to treat pests and diseases and have programmes to balance inputs such as fertilisers and water. In our projects we will encourage on-site treatment of green waste.
- Soil
Soil is a finite resource and so we will aim to make choices that improve our soil and reduce the need for both removal off site or the import of new soil to a site.
- Water
We aim to design landscapes that minimise the requirements for high water inputs, above that which naturally occurs in the particular region we are working in. This may be achieved via plant species choices, microclimate design, mulches, water recycling etc.
- Biodiversity
To design landscapes that maximize opportunities for biodiversity at all levels. This includes attracting wildlife, maintaining complex ecosystems, companion planting, recognizing the links between the elements of the garden and the organisms that inhabit it, encouraging nature and wildlife.
- Maximising vegetative biomass
To design landscapes that maximize vegetative biomass to support carbon stabilization. And we aim for permanent vegetation, not material that must be constantly pruned or mown heavily, or seasonally replanted.
- Opportunity for food production
To design landscapes that maximizes the opportunity for the growth of produce and other useful materials including composting and on-site green waste recycling.
- Minimising impact on native habitats
To design landscapes that minimizes the risk of weed-escapees moving into native habitats.
- Minimising use of resources that have a negative impact at source
To design landscapes that minimizes or eliminates the use of materials that disrupt, destroy, pollute or damage natural systems/communities where they are sourced and to choose locally sourced (bulk) materials to reduce product miles, where possible.
- Minimising risk of disruption, pollution or interference to other systems
To design a landscape that minimizes the risk of disruption, pollution or interference to other systems.
- Creating resilient designs that can cope with and respond to climate change
In particular to design with plants that can resist the changes we are experiencing in climate change and to give thought to longevity in the selection of materials.
