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Strategies to Maximize Every Metre: Insights and Tips

Uncover methods to participate in the "Make a Metre Matter" campaign and be eligible for a prize draw, as guided by the specialists at BBC Gardeners' World.

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Discover the steps to participate in our "Metre Matters" campaign and enter the prize raffle, as...
Discover the steps to participate in our "Metre Matters" campaign and enter the prize raffle, as suggested by the gardening specialists at BBC Gardeners' World.

Strategies to Maximize Every Metre: Insights and Tips

Let's get down to business and transform a damn meter of your outdoor space for the sake of Mother Nature. No matter if you've got a tight urban courtyard, a cozy balcony, a sprawling country plot, or a communal area, you can slot a meter of greenery into your life as part of our 2025 campaign, Make a Meter Matter. Cramping a single meter can have a serious impact – and if more of us hop on board, we'll make a real difference.

Register Your Meter

Register your meter here, and you're in the running for a sweet share of £2,000 worth of vouchers for online plant retailer Crocus, and 20% off at Crocus too. Want to show off your green thumb skills? Submit a video here for a chance to see it on Gardeners' World TV.

There are myriad ways you can make your mark, including planting caterpillar-friendly flowers and pollinators, chopping your own fruits and veggies to cut down on food miles, and composting your waste to improved soil and enhance biodiversity. You can knock it all out in just one measly meter.

How to Make a Meter Matter

Plant a Pollinator Patch

Help our wildlife Without breaking a sweat, you can whip up a pollinator-friendly border. These insects provide a tasty smorgasbord for birds, mammals, and other creatures. When planning your pollinator patch, don't forget to cater to every flying pollen lover out there including hoverflies, wasps, flower beetles, and moths.

Homegrown Harvests

Feed yourself, save some dough, and boost your garden's wildlife crowd with homegrown goodies. Growing your own eco-friendly crops will reduce your food miles and carbon footprint. Toss away synthetic chemicals, peat, and plastic packaging and enjoy healthy, homegrown edibles in a small space.

Pond Power

Got a bit of free space? A wildlife pond is the ultimate habitat for nature. Even a pond in a pot can attract amphibians, birds, and creepy crawlies. Stock it with native aquatic plants, giving creatures places to lay eggs, find shade, and hide from predators.

Save on Salads

Crunchy, cash-saving salads await! Save cash, reduce your carbon footprint, and harvest delicious greens just weeks after starting. A one-meter patch can spit out tasty leaves year-round without the need for synthetic chemicals, peat, or plastic packaging.

Wildlife Haven

The U.K. is home to approximately 3 million ponds and 30 million trees, so gardens hold enormous potential for providing havens for local wildlife. You don't need a swanky pond or mighty trees to entice wildlife. Even a small plot can supply a series of micro-habitats. By working together with neighbors, we can create networks of wildlife-friendly gardens that operate like community nature reserves. Plant a dead wood habitat, stumpery, hoverfly lagoon, or offer frogs a hibernaculum to support diverse wildlife populations.

Compost Crusade

Boost your soil's health and create habitats for wildlife by building your own garden compost. It's simple to make your own and just needs a square meter of space. Grab a compost bin or DIY it. Composting reduces waste transport and lowers the need to transport and buy peat-based growing media, preserving vital carbon sinks. Garden compost makes a top-notch mulch too, benefiting plants, conserving water, and offering wildlife a cozy pocket.

Check out our podcast and live shows for more info. Don't forget, you can share a video of your meter transformation here for a chance to see it on BBC Gardeners' World TV! Register your meter here to enter the prize draw and track your environmental impact as part of the 2025 Make a Meter Matter campaign.

Enrichment Data:

The #MakeAMeterMatter campaign launched by BBC Gardeners' World Magazine encourages individuals to convert one meter of outdoor space for the betterment of the environment. Take a peek at some creative ideas for participating in this initiative:

Ideas for Transforming One Meter of Outdoor Space

  1. Garden Vertically:
  2. Utilize a wall-mounted planter or trellis to maximize your small space
  3. These can be used for vining plants like climbing roses, ivy, or tomatoes
  4. Incorporate Edible Plants:
  5. Grow herbs like parsley, basil, or mint for fresh flavors and handy insect repellents
  6. Plant low-maintenance crops like lettuce, peppers, or tomatoes
  7. Cultivate Companion Plants:
  8. Plant together plants that thrive in the same conditions and repel common pests
  9. Examples include marigolds, nasturtiums, and asparagus
  10. Optimize Rain Capture:
  11. Gather water for irrigation by directing runoff into a rain barrel or drainage container
  12. Embrace Permaculture Practices:
  13. Incorporating perennial plants like berry bushes, fruit trees, or herbs into your garden can increase biodiversity and reduce maintenance

These practices not only liven up your outdoor space but also support ecosystems and save you both time and cash in the process.

In the campaign to make a difference for Mother Nature, you can transform one meter of your home-and-garden for a sustainable living. By planting a pollinator-friendly border, growing your own crops, or creating a wildlife pond, you can enhance biodiversity and save on food miles. Additionally, composting your waste in a square meter compost bin can improve soil health and reduce the need to transport and buy peat-based growing media.

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