Although it might not seem like it right now, the weather is certainly getting warmer due to climate change and in a hot summer, water is an invaluable resource. So it might be time to re-think your garden’s watering needs: Reducing the number of potted plants (for example, by planting them in the garden) and switching to a watering can rather than using a hosepipe to water can make a big difference. Also thinking about planting more drought tolerant plants – creating a gravel garden and using plants that are naturally adapted to drier conditions. Beth Chatto’s lovely inspirational nursery is a great place to visit to get ideas and buy plants and to see how she’s put together her gravel garden’s selection of beautiful plants.
Switching to a watering can, instead of using your hosepipe, benefits both the environment and your well-being, by reducing the amount of water you use and by bringing you closer to your plants and garden – whether you have a few pots on a patio or balcony or a large area with plants and shrubs. It can allow for more targeted watering and it can also add to the amount of exercise you get in a day!
We have partnered with Cambridge Water this summer to help promote their ‘Can for the Cam’ campaign. Cambridge Water has 300,000 customers and this summer they are encouraging them all to use a watering can rather than a hosepipe. Did you know that you can save up to 800 litres of water an hour by switching to a can. A hosepipe uses around 1000 litres of water an hour! We are partnering with Cambridge Water to help spread the word to encourage people to make the switch from a hosepipe to a watering can.
Every single litre of the water that Cambridge Water provide to our homes is high quality drinking water taken from the same groundwater sources that supply Cambridgeshire’s chalk streams, including the Cam.
If everyone stops using their hosepipes we’ll keep millions of litres in Cambridge’s water courses.
Another great way of saving water is by having water butts in your garden. I have two in my garden and I water all the houseplants in the greenhouse with the rainwater collected in them. Having water butts is an essential part of my gardening routine and means that you use your tap water much less.
I use a large 5 litre metal watering can and water all my plants in the garden individually with it. I decant the big can into a smaller 4 litre one when I water plants in the greenhouse. This allows me to get up close to all my plants, see how they are coping, check them for problems such as pests and also to appreciate their beauty.
Another reason that you might reach for your hosepipe is to water your lawn. Lawns have gone out of favour recently mainly because they are time consuming to maintain and because they can look unsightly once they go brown after periods of drought. If you decide to keep your lawn it can be better to let areas of your lawn go uncut as this will encourage the wildlife into your garden and prevent the need for watering it to keep it green!
Lawns do not need watering, they will bounce back from a period of drought surprisingly easily once it has rained. A few years ago we got rid of our grass completely when we had the greenhouse installed and instead opted for a long wiggly gravel path with curving beds on each side. Because I had been a self-employed gardener for many years my job meant that I had to regularly mow my client’s gardens and it was a joy to finally give up using a lawnmower.
Our plants and gardens are so special to us and to the wildlife that lives within it. Try and think twice before using your hosepipe this summer and help to conserve water. Making small changes in your garden and the plants that you choose to grow within it can have a huge impact on your local environment.
Please note: Cambridge Water is a water-only company. This means it only supplies high quality drinking water and is not involved in providing sewage or grey water disposal.