Why Conserve Water?
Despite everyone thinking it rains a lot, our region (the Anglian Water region) experiences less rainfall than average in the UK. We receive 1/3 less rainfall than the rest of the country and our daily water use per person is increasing! With continual population growth and climate change, it is becoming more important to think about conserving water wherever possible.
How?
During the dry summer months, watering the garden becomes an extra daily task for lots of us, so here are a few tips to help you save time, money and water whilst keeping your garden looking good :
Water butt and can
1. Use a water butt – you can collect an estimated 85,000 litres of rainwater from an average house roof every year (from Energy Saving Trust) and rainwater is much better for the garden and houseplants than treated tap water. More information on using a water butt.
Patio border containing Verbena, Sedum & Ornamental Grasses by GAP Photos
2. Buy drought-tolerant plants that won’t require regular watering.
Our top 10 suggestions are:
Many ornamental grasses are drought tolerant – we like Stipa tenuissima (aka Mexican Feather Grass)
Buddleja (aka Butterfly Bush – as expected, the butterflies love it!)
Lavender (great for scent and brilliant for pollinators, loved by bees)
Sedum (a hardy succulent)
Pittosporum (an evergreen shrub)
Perovskia (aka Russian Sage), verbena (loved by pollinators)
Erigeron (a ground covering plant with daisy like flowers)
Rosemary and Thyme – both great for cooking and containers too.
By GAP Photos
3. Use mulch, such as bark to cover the area around the base of the plants, this helps prevent the moisture from evaporating around the roots. Ground covering shrubs are also great for this – such as Erigeron.
By GAP Photos
4. Put containers together in a shady spot, they will need watering less and you will save time watering by having them all in one place.
By GAP Photos
5. Use greywater from the bath, paddling pool or washing up bowl to fill a watering can – as long there are no nasty chemicals, the plants won’t mind dirty or soapy water.
6. Cut your grass less – longer lawns survive better in times of drought. Also, don’t waste water attempting to prevent the lawn from drying out and going brown, it will bounce back in the autumn. More information on leaving your lawn unmown to help wildlife
For lots more information on saving water in the garden and other areas of the home :
