The golden rules for "green" gardening

People used to think that the best way to control insect pests, diseases and weeds in their gardens was with regular applications of pesticides. Over the years, though, it became obvious that this was not viable in the long term, because it upset the ecological balance and endangered people's health. Now the emphasis is on adapting our gardening methods so that we can grow strong, healthy plants able to resist different types of stress.

In fact, the best way to avoid problems in your garden is to start out with resistant plants that suit your site, and to look after them properly. This means using pesticides only as a last resort, when all other methods have failed.

Here are twelve rules for an attractive pesticide-free garden.