Newsletter March 2008

The Good Gardener

We’re always being told how to make our houses greener, but what can we do in the garden?

chocolate-scented Cosmos Life without water isn't possible, but we all take it for granted. Without water we wouldn't be able to wash, cook, clean or drink. (No hot soak after a long days gardening, or water in my whisky!) The good gardener can do a lot to conserve this precious resource - and do their garden a favour at the same time. With hosepipe bans becoming an annual event in the South, we all have to think about the challenges - and opportunities - a warmer climate brings.

Eryngium Sapphire blue Start with

Connecting a water butt at the end of your roof drain to catch rain water, and then use this to water the garden and plants.
Set the blades higher on your lawn mower to keep the grass longer. It stays moister this way and provides a better habitat for fauna.
Lawns recover better than you think - witness the rapid recovery of the parks and commons across London - so concentrate your watering on plants in time of scarcity.
Garden sprinklers are great if you haven't got time to water the garden yourself, but not great for the environment. A garden sprinkler uses as much water in one HOUR as a family of four uses in a DAY!
Incorporate large quantities of organic material into the soil before planting to help retain moisture better. Use mulch on top of your beds, at least 5cm thick, to cut down on water use and control weeds.
Plant thirsty plants in light shade where they will dry out less.
Put a length (about 12ins.) of drainpipe into the same hole as larger plants with an inch sticking up above the surface. You can then pour water down the pipe so it goes straight to the roots of the plant, where it's needed most.
Water lawns and plants in the early morning or late at night as this will reduce evaporation and keep the soil moist for longer.

Perovskia In the UK it's perfectly possible to have a beautiful and productive garden without using any mains water, providing you prepare the ground suitably with mulch, and use recycled water (from a butt or your bath!) instead of taking it from the drinking supply. Everyone beginning a new garden should be able to express their individual style while creating a beautiful space in balance with nature.

The secret of good gardening is to use the correct plant in the right position. In the south, which has some of the driest areas, we need to choose hardy, drought-resistant and yet colourful plants to replace the tender, water loving ones most British designers are taught to use, and most garden centres find are popular sellers. This year I've been looking to the Mediterranean for inspiration.

Stipa tenuissim There are four main categories of Mediterranean plants to consider, and between them they offer you so much potential to be creative.

Leafy, structural or background plants with large glossy, lush leaves such as Phygelius African Queen and Sedum purprinum
Spectacular flowering plants such as Achillea Christine's Pink and Cosmos chocolate scented
Spiky leaved, architectural plants like Cytisus praecox and Eryngium tripartitum
Grasses and lavenders, which look wonderful in large beds, such as Stipa calamagrostic and Petrovskia atriplicfolia

Whether you're creating a new garden or need to replace some plants that didn't make it through the last hosepipe ban, a little reconsideration means you can create a stunning display that can stand up to our new British Summers.