A few simple measures can reduce a garden’s reliance on the water supply – enabling members to maintain healthy gardens while using very little water.
‘Hosepipe bans are becoming a feature of summer,’ says Annabel Pearson, one of our home experts. ‘In the battle to keep household water use within sustainable levels – approximately 130 to 150 litres per person per day – hosepipes and sprinklers fed by the domestic water supply, rather than rainwater, are the first things to go.’
Which? magazine calculated that sprinklers use up to 1,000 litres an hour – anyone using one of these would need to avoid washing clothes, flushing the loo or bathing for about eight days if they wanted to stay within target levels.
Evolution has provided some plants with the tools to survive dry spells. Drought-resistant species such as poppies, geraniums, holly, lamb’s ears, lavender, sage and thyme are noted for their water-retaining properties, as are plants with hairy, grey, long and narrow or fleshy and succulent leaves.
Keeping lawns longer will help them survive better during low-water periods, as the blades trap dew and keep moisture in the soil in the morning. Mixed lawns – which allow clover – also stay green longer. Some people replace grass lawns with tougher plants such as creeping thyme or lawn chamomile.
Adding organic matter to the garden in the form of compost helps soil retain moisture and improve soil structure, meaning plants require less watering. Contact our Home team for more detailed instructions on how to create a compost heap.
Rainwater can be harvested from roofs and stored in tubs for use on the garden. Simple rainwater harvesting systems are easy and inexpensive to implement. Call us for more information on how to develop one for your home.
Covering the bare earth between plants with mulch and bark can reduce evaporation by up to 75 per cent, according to Waterwise, the UK’s leading authority on water efficiency.
Fences, hedges and other forms of shelter can cut the amount of water that evaporates due to the wind. They’ll also provide shade, which will further reduce water loss from the soil when the sun is out. Watering is best done in the early morning, evening or in still conditions, as water evaporates faster in heat or wind.
Get in touch if you’d like us to arrange for a gardening expert to come to your home and help you organise a green overhaul of your garden.
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