Some of these, like garden compost and leaf mould, you can make yourself. Others, like mushroom compost, are widely available, often cost less than peat and are more valueable The best way to control pests in the garden isn't by using pesticides, it's by encouraging their natural enemies. For example, birds, frogs and hedgehogs eat slugs and snails and ladybirds and hoverfly eat greenfly or their eggs. Try growing some fruit and vegetables. You might be surprised at how much you can grow in a small space and at how much better they taste than the ones you can buy in the shops.
Every summer there are water shortages and hosepipe bans.
This not only saves water, but rain water is better for your garden than tap water From June onwards let your grass grow a bit longer. It will stay greener for longer without needing to be watered Mulch your garden plants with grass clippings. This keeps down weeds, improves your soil and saves water by preventing the ground from drying out so fast Leave some of your tidying up until the spring. Birds can eat the seeds of some flowers over winter and ladybirds like to shelter in dead flower stalks Grow disease-resistant varieties of roses and other plants. If you grow vegetables plant some flowers amongst them.