Want your garden to look fresh and amazing this summer? These are the 9 smart tips you need to keep your outside space green
Ad Feature by Thames Water
Spring is in the air and it’s high time we showed our neglected gardens some love.
One of the best ways to keep our flowers and gardens happy is by ensuring they get plenty of water, but this is easier said than done.
Why's that, we hear you cry? Brits are bombarded by rain! Well, it's because certain areas of the country, like the Southeast, are densely populated, and this puts a bigger demand on water resources - something that could be problematic for our gardens over summer.
So, with this in mind, we've compiled 9 essential tips for looking after your garden while being water conscious.
Get recycling
Don't let your washing up water go to waste – use it to water your plants!
Using a hose wastes a lot of water - in fact, if you leave one running for an hour, that's a huge 1,000 litres of water down the drain - literally. That's enough to supply an average family for three days!
Add the fact that 17 per cent more water was required just to meet our basic needs during last year's hot summer months – equating to a staggering 450 million litres of extra water every day – and that really puts things into perspective.
A greener way of watering your garden is to use ‘grey water’, or water you have already used for other tasks.
As long as it doesn’t have a high detergent content, you can use water you’ve used for cleaning, drinking water, or even left over cooking water to care for your plants.
New turf
Start trimming and feeding your lawn now so it's ready for summer
It may feel like it’s been one long, wet winter. In fact, we get less rainfall per year than the likes of Istanbul and Sydney. However, now that the weather's improving, it's time to get out there and give our lawns some love in preparation for summer.
We rely on freshwater resources, such as underground aquifers, to help maintain the supply to our homes every day.
But if we’re not getting enough rain, our aquifers won't be replenished - and if we continue to get through an average of 143 litres of water each on a daily basis, this will prove a problem for us and our lovely gardens when summer comes around.
So, feed your lawn now and sow some new seeds so that it has the chance to rejuvenate in time for summer, and put your recycled water to use to ensure it stays lovely and healthy all year round.
A scientific solution
Mix water-retaining gels into your soil to ensure it holds moisture for longer
If you’re a city-dweller with pot plants adorning your gardens and interiors, there’s a nifty product you can get that will maintain the health of your plants and keep them hydrated without the need for additional water.
A water retaining gel can be mixed in with compost to help hold moisture within the soil for longer, reducing your need to water your plants - the perfect solution for those summer dry spells.
No ifs, just butts
Water butts collect so much water that you won't need to turn on the hose during the summer
The power of a water butt for the future of our water supplies is really quite impressive.
Every year, the average roof could collect around 450 water butts’ worth of water – so why not put this to use?
This free supply can be collected in a water butt direct from your gutter downpipe and used to hydrate your garden throughout the year. What’s more, your plants will love the benefits of natural water.
Watch the clock
First thing in the morning is the best time of day to water your garden
During the day, the ground has been heated by the sun, which means higher levels of evaporation. So the water you think your plant is getting is literally disappearing into thin air.
Watering your garden in the evening also has its issues. The colder temperatures run the risk of the plants being damp from too much moisture, which can encourage rotting or fungal diseases.
So, the most efficient time of day to water your plants is first thing in the morning. This way, the water will have time to be fully absorbed into the earth before it evaporates and won’t be sitting around causing problems.
Work with nature
Verbena is just one of the beautiful plants you can choose that can cope with dry climates
By 2050, the Southeast of England alone will need an additional 441 million litres of water a day to sustain our current individual needs – and this simply isn’t sustainable.
Combined with rising global temperatures, too, this could prove a real issue for our gardens. One clever way around this is to opt for plants that don’t require a lot of water.
Hardy plants that prefer drier climates, like agave, verbena, sage and sedum, will be content without a continuous water supply, and will still make your garden beautiful.
It’s an easy solution for an Insta-worthy garden that will seriously reduce your water use.
Thanks very mulch
Putting down a layer of mulch, like bark, helps retain water in your flowerbeds
Putting down a layer of mulch across the top of your flower beds not only helps retain water and reduce the need for regular watering, but it’s an attractive solution that can also feed your plants.
Opt to do this during the spring months, and put an initial layer of rotted compost down first to feed your plants. Then, top this with your choice of pebbles or bark. This even helps to keep weeds at bay!
Clever containers
Coated containers are best for making water last longer
When it comes to plant pots, simply opting for glazed pots instead of traditional terracotta ones can improve your household water efficiency.
Unglazed terracotta is very porous, so you and your plants stand to lose a lot of water if they’re potted in them.
However, with a glazed one, you can contain more water and see your plant reap the benefits.
Weed it out
Rid your garden of weeds so you're not wasting water on plants that don't need it
Unwanted weeds are a bugbear for gardeners everywhere, ruining the appearance of flower beds across the land.
However, they’re also a nuisance when it comes to reducing water wastage, too.
Weeds have a tendency to grow quickly, and they fight with the plants for any available moisture.
If you have them in your garden, they’re likely causing you to use more water trying to keep your garden thriving.
Clear the weeds out. If it’s really bad, dig out your beds and cover them with tarpaulin to prevent anything growing so that you can start afresh.
