THE GREAT OUTDOORS
38
JUNE 2023
SUSTAINABLE GARDENING
A sustainable garden is one adapted to the local natural environment. A sustainable garden on Menorca takes into account the local climate, geography and physical conditions such as temperature, soil, exposure to wind and proximity to the sea. The aim is to use plants that are already adapted to the local conditions, which need little water and are resistant to pests and diseases.
ES VIVER Es Viver garden centre is a hidden gem, tucked away next to the recyling centre, on the airport road. It is a non-profit-making initiative run by GOB to promote gardens which do not cause problems for the environment and which are easy to maintain. Es Viver promotes Mediterranean gardening without invasive species, and without polluting chemicals. I have lived in Menorca for 20 years, but I was unaware of its existence. Perhaps because they are not permitted to put up a large sign on the main road! You can buy a wide variety of plants, produced on site, with an ecological certificate. The plants are grown in the centre’s own nursery from seeds and seedlings collected from all over Menorca. For example, capers, lavender, and rock roses. English-speaking staff and volunteers work at the centre each morning, providing visitors with help and advice about the best plants to buy for their own garden. When I visited, Sofia from Bulgaria and Belen, from Valencia were working there as volunteers on a special GOB programme for 18-30 year olds. Toful, the centre’s manager and botanist and Tatania, a trained gardener, both made me very welcome during my visits. When I first visited in mid-April the nursery was full of seedlings. Menorca and mainland Spain then experienced a worrying heatwave when temperature rose to as much as 5 deg C above the norm. When the temperatures inside the poly tunnel became too warm, the seedlings had to be moved outside.
GARDEN DESIGN SERVICE Es Viver’s trained gardeners and botanists will visit your garden to help you make it more sustainable or to redesign it into new attractive and functional spaces. They can help you make use of materials such as earth, stones, and wood from the garden itself or from nearby areas. The aim is to avoid the economic and environmental costs of bringing products from far afield. D O N ’ T M I S S A N E D I T I O N , S U B S C R I B E T O D AY ! V I S I T: R O Q U E TA M A G A Z I N E . N E T
