Water Wise Garden Design: some tips, hints and links to help you with your garden design

Water Wise Garden Design: some tips, hints and links to help you with your garden design

Eco friendly garden design usually results in a water wise garden. In this article there are a number of tips, hints and links to help the garden designer create and establish the ultimate water wise garden.

Group plants according to their water needs

Drought resistant plants like English Lavender, Crimson Bottlebrush and Daylily may only need to be watered once a month. Plants like hydrangeas have shallow roots and need to be watered every two to three days during the summer. Therefore it is unwise to put plants with different water needs together in the same bed.

Create watering zones

The first areas to establish when you design your water wise garden are the little or no water zones. These areas include placement of beds with plants needing little water, mulched children's play areas and paved areas. The paved areas usually include space for drying clothes, paths and patio areas for the BBQ and outdoor eating. Plant drought resistant ground cover instead of lawn in the front garden and replace grass strips along the drive way with a hard surface.

Design the water wise garden with little or no lawns

Lawns are water guzzlers so it is wise to have little or no lawn area. Using compost, coir peat and used mushrooms will improve the soils ability to take up and retain moisture. This will also result in more earthworms. Earthworms convert organic matter into nutrients for plants. These soil improvements should not only be carried out when designing a gardenscape but should be an ongoing garden maintenance

Improve soil with compost, coir peat and/or used mushrooms so soil retains water

Water crystals can also be used to increase the soils ability to retain water. Treating and improving soil will make for less water in vegetable gardens. Mulch with drippers beneath is the ideal way to care for vegetable gardens. Grouping fruit trees together with reduce water use. It is also wise to keep the fruit tree area free of other plants and lawn as they will compete with the trees for water. The truly water wise garden design will include fruit and nut trees with low water requirements.

Make sure the garden is designed to allow for efficient water use

Most vegetable, fruit trees, annuals, herbaceous perennials and shrubs have high water needs and can be placed together in the design. Many herbs have high water needs so should be placed with this group. However some herbs for example Rosemary do not need as much water so can be placed with other drought resistant plants.

Herbs with low water needs

Bay

Sage

English Lavender

Rosemary

Lemon scent Thyme

Wooly Thyme

Nasturtium

Marjoram

Oregano

Fruit and nut trees with low water requirements

Grape

Almond

Fig

Pomegranate

Pistachio

Olive

Mulberry

Stone Pine

Quince

The water wise garden designer uses a minimum number of plants in pots. Porous pots used should be sealed inside. Lighter coloured pots will generate less heat than darker pots. If dark pots are used they can be placed together and out of the direct sun. Group pot plants with similar needs together. Use water crystals and soil wetting agents in a premium potting mix. It is best to water pots individually and not to spray them from above.

Have a minimum number of pot plants

Select plants from regions with similar climates for example South Africa, South-east and south-west Australia, Mediterranean countries and the south-western parts of North America. All these regions have cold, wet winters and hot dry summers.

Select plants from similar regions for the water wise garden design

Avoid wasting water. If you forget to turnoff the sprinkler you can waste up to 1000 litres of water an hour. Using an automatic timer can stop this from happening. Also make sure the water only covers the area needing the water. Designing a water system carefully and reducing water pressure will prevent this water wastage. Always check soil moisture before watering plants. Mulch applied to a garden area can prevent run off from hard crusted soil.

Mulch prevents water run off

When plants are established wean them of frequent watering this will allow the plants to develop deeper root systems. Water plants in the early morning or last thing at night. Make sure when watering plants to water the roots not the leaves.

Plants that are watered less develop deep roots and need less water

You can find lists of some high drought tolerant trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and bulbs on the Creative Buzzing blog at http://creativebuzzing.wordpress.com . There you will also find a link to a mood board creator were you can design your own water wise garden.

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