If you’re an avid gardener, you may find yourself using a lot of water to keep your garden looking fresh. Luckily, creating a water saving garden is now more achievable than ever, as there are several ways you reduce, recycle and reuse your water. Regardless of whether you have a small garden patio, or a large expansive yard, incorporating some water saving garden design means less work for you, and more benefits for the environment. We take a look at some simple ways to save water in the garden in our handy guide below.
Creating a water saving garden
Install a rainwater tank
With the price of water slowly increasing each year, it’s worth finding ways to capture water naturally. One common way is investing in a rainwater tank. A rainwater tank allows to take advantage of the rainwater that falls onto your roof, which makes it a common choice in rural homes. Though rainwater is safe to drink but it’s worth boiling it before consumption. Many homeowners prefer to leave their rainwater for the garden or to wash clothes with, as it can contain a trace number of germs (for example, if there’s bird poop in your gutters). Installing a rainwater tank as part of your water saving garden design can save you up to 40% of your water supply, and up to $200 off your water bill a year.
Looking for rainwater tanks Brisbane? We offer rainwater tanks in 3000 – 5000L, perfect for both residential and commercial settings.
Use recycled water
Using recycled water has numerous benefits for both your wallet and the environment but takes some expertise and initial costs to set up. You can get diversion systems to connect to a common water source, such as a washing machine, and redirect the excess water to your water saving garden. If you live in a part of Australia that doesn’t get much rain, a recycling water system makes a nice alternative to a rainwater tank. Some components of your diverter system may include a greywater hose, diverter valves, a surge tank, filters, and a pump. A grey water hose is a simple and relatively cheap way to get started and can be easily connected to a washing machine.
Consider synthetic turf
When you think of synthetic turf, you’ve likely conjured up an image of the artificial looking grass made popular on golf courses. But synthetic turf has come a long way in the past decade, and now looks and feels a lot more natural. If you don’t want the maintenance that comes with tending to a natural lawn, synthetic turf is terrific option that requires no work whatsoever. It allows for a perfect, manicured look all year round without the need for constant mowing, watering, and trimming. In addition to conserving water in the garden, synthetic turf is also good option for allergy sufferers as it reduces allergy triggering pollens.
Swap grass for gravel, rocks, or pebbles
This works particularly well if you have a small courtyard, as gravel, rocks or pebbles is an inexpensive way to give your garden a modern, streamlined look. Conserving water in the garden is easy if you swap grass for gravel, as you can add some low maintenance greenery to add for that added pop of colour. Gravel walkways work great on their own, but also look for an attractive combination with flagstone pavers. Incorporating gravel into your water saving garden design also adds some variety to your garden and can be used to coax the focus onto nearby plants, shrubbery or flowers.
Invest in some good quality mulch
A good quality mulch can help conserve moisture when water is scarce, as it can reduce evaporation from soil to up to 70%. If you’re trying to create a water saving garden, mulch is cost effective way to reduce the amount of times your plants need watering. This is because mulch is highly absorbent and slowly disperses moisture throughout the soil. Mulch is also a must have when it comes to growing plants and flowers, as it’s packed full of nutrients.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our article on ‘Tips for Creating a Water Saving Garden.’ If you’re browsing our landscaping supplies, be sure to check out our range of water tanks online. Our rainwater tanks are available in over ten colours from beige, river gum, slate grey to mountain blue to blend in or stand out wherever they are positioned. Or, if you can’t find what you’re looking for online, feel free to give us a call on (07) 3373 4999 for help and advice on conserving water in the garden.