Five Ways to Conserve Water in Your Garden

Looming water shortages in many parts of the country have raised the profile of water conservation efforts of governments and industry but home gardeners also have an important role to play in eliminating water waste. With a little planning you can create an easy-to-maintain garden that saves money, conserves water, supports local ecology, and provides plenty of curb appeal. Here are some tips to help you design a rewarding backyard oasis for local flora and fauna in low water environments.

Expansive grass lawns are the enemy of water conservation and have no place in the water conserving garden. Replace non-native grasses that require substantial water, maintenance and harmful chemical fertilizers with local and naturally occurring grasses, as well as ground cover, which can grow quite happily on their own. Learn to love “weeds” such as dandelions, clover, ivies, and small flowering plants and grasses and invite them back into your garden if they are not already there. You’ll save money, time and water and they will reward you by attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects, enhancing and conditioning the soil, and adding visual interest year-round. Weeds are also free. You can also add non-water dependent features in place of a lawn including pathways, seating areas, and porous pavers or go right for a rock garden. All of these invite usage of the space the way that no traditional lawn can and save water.

While you are checking out the sunlight patterns in your garden, take note of the literal lay of the land when it comes to water. Are you planting beds raised, lowered, flat or on an incline? Does rainfall (or water from your hose or irrigation system) penetrate and become absorbed by the soil or does it run from certain areas and pool in others? Do planted areas stay damp after watering or does the moisture evaporate quickly? Water needs to soak into the ground near the roots of your plants to be effective in helping them survive. The goal of watering is to entice the roots to grow deep in the search for water; this creates a stronger root system and a hardier plant. Shallow root systems develop when plants are not planted deeply enough and are improperly watered. To stay hydrated plants send roots in all directions to grab up water close to the surface. Plants with shallow roots are easily uprooted, require abundant surface level water and nutrients, and may not survive in low water environments. Ensure that your plants’ roots run deep by watering close to the root and at times of the day when water is least likely to evaporate. Use your knowledge of the sunlight exposure, soil moisture levels, and run-off in your garden to plot where plants will go and group them by need. This will limit the amount of time and water that you spend keeping your garden hydrated and will make it easier to monitor and control the watering. If you have been providing your plants with the recommended amount of water and sunlight but they are still struggling, the issue could be incompatible soil. A soil test will help you determine pH and nutrient levels in your garden and can be obtained at home garden centers. In some cases your local agricultural university or government agricultural agency may provide them for a nominal fee.

Fill your garden with local plants that have evolved over time to thrive in their environment. They will need less care (less water and fertilizer) than exotic plants who cannot adapt to their new surroundings without intensive care and additional resources to promote growth. If you are concerned that local plants may not give you the look that you want, research may change your mind. Many local plants have been pushed to the margins of home gardening and are not well known do to lack of popularity. Do not limit yourself to flowering annuals and ubiquitous trendy succulents--give humble decorative grasses, perennials, shrubs, vines and groundcovers a chance. You can create beautiful gardens with year-round color using only native plants! It's about knowing when they bloom and what light requirements they need. Pictured above, purple coneflowers and black eyed Susans create a complementary purple/yellow display that you can enjoy from summer through the fall. Very little maintenance needed.

Mixing and matching these varieties adds visual impact and helps your garden look full throughout the year. Contact a local garden center, botanical garden, or municipal agricultural office for recommendations. You can also take cues from a walk around your neighborhood in areas where plants are growing without human intervention—the side of the road is a great place to look. And of course, have a look in your own garden and see what plants are struggling and which are threatening to take over. Try moving the strugglers to somewhere else in your garden, or perhaps they don’t belong in your yard at all.

Water conserving gardens benefit the natural environment by limiting water waste and enhance built environments through the preservation of native plants, animals and habitats. Planning and design are fundamental to the success of your low water landscape which can be made more efficient through drip irrigation systems, rain and gray water harvesting. A global movement to create water conserving gardens is growing along with awareness of the need to preserve water supplies for future generations. Luckily, the principles are simple and easy to implement with basic equipment making water conservation an achievable goal for garden enthusiasts at all levels in any climate.

Looming water shortages in many parts of the country have raised the profile of water conservation efforts of governments and industry but home gardeners also have an important role to play in eliminating water waste. With a little planning you can create an easy-to-maintain garden that saves money, conserves water, supports local ecology, and provides plenty of curb appeal. Here are some tips to help you design a rewarding backyard oasis for local flora and fauna in low water environments.

Expansive grass lawns are the enemy of water conservation and have no place in the water conserving garden. Replace non-native grasses that require substantial water, maintenance and harmful chemical fertilizers with local and naturally occurring grasses, as well as ground cover, which can grow quite happily on their own. Learn to love “weeds” such as dandelions, clover, ivies, and small flowering plants and grasses and invite them back into your garden if they are not already there. You’ll save money, time and water and they will reward you by attracting pollinators and other beneficial insects, enhancing and conditioning the soil, and adding visual interest year-round. Weeds are also free. You can also add non-water dependent features in place of a lawn including pathways, seating areas, and porous pavers or go right for a rock garden. All of these invite usage of the space the way that no traditional lawn can and save water.

While you are checking out the sunlight patterns in your garden, take note of the literal lay of the land when it comes to water. Are you planting beds raised, lowered, flat or on an incline? Does rainfall (or water from your hose or irrigation system) penetrate and become absorbed by the soil or does it run from certain areas and pool in others? Do planted areas stay damp after watering or does the moisture evaporate quickly? Water needs to soak into the ground near the roots of your plants to be effective in helping them survive. The goal of watering is to entice the roots to grow deep in the search for water; this creates a stronger root system and a hardier plant. Shallow root systems develop when plants are not planted deeply enough and are improperly watered. To stay hydrated plants send roots in all directions to grab up water close to the surface. Plants with shallow roots are easily uprooted, require abundant surface level water and nutrients, and may not survive in low water environments. Ensure that your plants’ roots run deep by watering close to the root and at times of the day when water is least likely to evaporate. Use your knowledge of the sunlight exposure, soil moisture levels, and run-off in your garden to plot where plants will go and group them by need. This will limit the amount of time and water that you spend keeping your garden hydrated and will make it easier to monitor and control the watering. If you have been providing your plants with the recommended amount of water and sunlight but they are still struggling, the issue could be incompatible soil. A soil test will help you determine pH and nutrient levels in your garden and can be obtained at home garden centers. In some cases your local agricultural university or government agricultural agency may provide them for a nominal fee.

Fill your garden with local plants that have evolved over time to thrive in their environment. They will need less care (less water and fertilizer) than exotic plants who cannot adapt to their new surroundings without intensive care and additional resources to promote growth. If you are concerned that local plants may not give you the look that you want, research may change your mind. Many local plants have been pushed to the margins of home gardening and are not well known do to lack of popularity. Do not limit yourself to flowering annuals and ubiquitous trendy succulents--give humble decorative grasses, perennials, shrubs, vines and groundcovers a chance. You can create beautiful gardens with year-round color using only native plants! It's about knowing when they bloom and what light requirements they need. Pictured above, purple coneflowers and black eyed Susans create a complementary purple/yellow display that you can enjoy from summer through the fall. Very little maintenance needed.

Mixing and matching these varieties adds visual impact and helps your garden look full throughout the year. Contact a local garden center, botanical garden, or municipal agricultural office for recommendations. You can also take cues from a walk around your neighborhood in areas where plants are growing without human intervention—the side of the road is a great place to look. And of course, have a look in your own garden and see what plants are struggling and which are threatening to take over. Try moving the strugglers to somewhere else in your garden, or perhaps they don’t belong in your yard at all.

Water conserving gardens benefit the natural environment by limiting water waste and enhance built environments through the preservation of native plants, animals and habitats. Planning and design are fundamental to the success of your low water landscape which can be made more efficient through drip irrigation systems, rain and gray water harvesting. A global movement to create water conserving gardens is growing along with awareness of the need to preserve water supplies for future generations. Luckily, the principles are simple and easy to implement with basic equipment making water conservation an achievable goal for garden enthusiasts at all levels in any climate.