Optimizing Your Garden For Drought Or Water Conservation

article reprinted with permission:

Living in Colorado and being a gardener has been rather stressful in the past few years, as this state has been undergoing a rather severe drought. The city is imposing watering restrictions which are not giving enough water to lawns and plants. I’ve had to renovate my garden to make it more water efficient. Now, because of the techniques I’ve employed, I’m the only one in my neighborhood with a garden that isn’t completely brown. So if you live in an area that is going through a drought or if you just want to save water, I suggest you use some of these techniques as well.

First, I took out all my plants. The soil I was using didn’t retain water very well, so I had to water about twice as much as necessary in order to get it to actually absorb into the roots. If you have this same problem, you can fix it by loading the soil up with lots of compost. This not only prevents water from escaping, but encourages the plant’s roots to be healthy and able to survive more.

Once I was done optimizing the soil for my new low water consumption plan, I was ready to replace all my plants. I decided that the placement of all my plants would reflect the amount of water necessary to keep them alive. All the plants that don’t require much water I placed in on one side of my garden, and then just progressed in the amount of required water to the other side of the garden. As a result of my new arrangement, I don’t have to waste water on plants that don’t need it as much.

The installation of a drip irrigation system was another move on my part that reduced the amount of water I needed to fully water my garden. The great thing about these systems is that they constantly drip into your plants, so that every single drop is absorbed. With traditional watering systems, usually the roots get too overwhelmed with the sheer amount of water in the soil. Thus, lots just seeps right past. This is all taken care of with the drip system.

If you still seem to need more water than you can supply to your garden, you might consider which plants you could replace with less water dependent plants. If you want a good shrub that doesn’t use up more than its share of water, look for Heavenly Bamboo. It is not only tolerant of droughts, but looks rather decorative in any garden. Herbs such as rosemary are useful in preparing meals, and are rarely thirsty.

If you’re trying to find flowers that will still be lush and beautiful despite the lower amounts of water, look for penstemon varieties like Garnet, Apple Blossom, Moonbeam, and Midnight. You can attract hummingbirds and butterflies with varieties like Cosmos and Yarrow. The best part about all these plants is that they don’t look rugged and withstanding, but they sure are. Your neighbors wont be saying “Look at them, they downgraded their plants just to withstand the drought. What chumps!” Instead they will be marveling over how you keep your flowers so beautiful in the midst of the watering regulations.

One of my favorite drought resistant plants is the Lavender plant. I could go on for pages about it. A large group of Lavender plants looks unbelievably gorgeous in your garden, and hardly requires any water to flourish. Pineapple sage is another personal favorite. It is a 2+ foot shrub that smells strangely of pineapple. It’s another major attracter of hummingbirds, and the leaves are also useful to add taste to drinks.S

o if you are in the position I was, and you’re dealing with a drought and perhaps watering regulations, I suggest you try some of the things I’ve mentioned. Even if you’re just trying to conserve water or be generally more efficient with it, I think you’ll still be able to benefit.

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About Ian del Carmen:Ian del Carmen is the president and CEO of Fireball Planet Corporation. Check out his blog at http://IanDelCarmen.com. Or visit Fireball Planet at http://FireballPlanet.com

Disclaimer:The authors and publishers of this information and the accompanying materials have used their best efforts in preparing this article. The author and publisher make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the contents of this article. The information contained on this page is strictly for educational purposes. Therefore, if you wish to apply ideas contained in this article, you are taking full responsibility for your actions.Continue...

Is Your Backyard An Escape Place?

Your backyard can be your escape from the stresses of your day. For some people, sitting in a beautifully laid out yard is one of the most relaxing things they can do. For others, they find that planning, building, and planting their garden or yard is the relaxing part they look forward to. If you want have a breathtaking yard, but have no idea where to start, you need some backyard landscape ideas to get you going. Ideas are everywhere, and you may find inspiration in the least likely places.

 

You can find backyard landscape ideas by visiting other people’s homes. You don’t really want a carbon copy of someone else’s yard, but you can get inspiration by viewing what your friends, family, and neighbors have done with their yards. You might also find inspiration by visiting local parks or botanical gardens. A walk around your own neighborhood may be just the thing you need as well. Don’t forget about the businesses in your community. Many of them are landscaped by professionals, and you may find some great ideas there.

 

If this isn’t working for you, you can find backyard landscape ideas by watching HGTV. This station is devoted to home and garden improvements. You may find tricks and tips to help you along, as well as inspiration for your own yard. You can find ideas for small yards, gardens, and incorporating elements into your yard you may not have considered. You will also find shows to help with plant care, gardening tips, and advice for what plants work best in your climate.

 

Consider adding a new element to your yard to help you along. Having an outdoor fireplace, deck, or pool in your yard may help spark backyard landscape ideas. These items are not only useful; they can be the backdrops for your garden. You might consider a trellis around your pool for vine plants, or a unique sitting area around your outdoor fireplace.

 

As a last resort, look through magazines or ask for advice at your local home and garden store. You may find inspiration for backyard landscape ideas by just taking a stroll through the store. If that doesn’t help much, or you don’t know what to do with your ideas, ask a sales person for some advice. They may have ideas for you, or they may be able to tell you what has been popular with other customers.

A Metal Garden Trellis Can Add Dimension To Your Outdoor Garden Area

There is more than one use for a metal garden trellis. These outdoor decorative features can bring an element of style into your yard. You can opt to use them in a garden or as an attractive focal point in a flat area of your yard or you can even choose to bring the metal garden trellis indoors to create an outdoor feeling inside. These items can have several functions but it takes a creative eye to put them to use.

 

The traditional use for the metal garden trellis is for the garden. You can find this element in different types of gardens across the country. The trellises add dimension and texture to just about any outdoor garden area and they serve to provide a nice place for vines to grow comfortably and attractively.

 

Vines can pose a problem in some gardens. They grow haphazardly on the fence or even on the outdoor lawn furniture. However, they can be used as very attractive foliage in your design if they are trained to grow on a metal garden trellis. You can still have the old world feel of vine vegetation while maintaining control of your space.

 

Some people opt to actually plant vines at the foundation of a metal garden trellis. I love to see the flowering types of vines that are abundant during the summer months. I do prefer to see these flowers on metal garden trellis rather than on a hillside or on the side of a house. The deliberate nature of using trellises to control vines makes the plants appealing and definitely more appreciated in the long run.

 

You can have the most barren of all lawns but if you add one simple focal feature to the area you are well on your way to creating a warm and inviting outdoor space. A metal garden trellis can be used to define an area. Setting this element in the yard creates a kind of outdoor room. Adding some wrought iron patio furniture into the mix will create an inviting sitting area in a once barren landscape.

 

For those who want to bring the outdoors inside a metal garden trellis can be the thing to use. This element works well as a headboard for your bed. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen it on a show produced by Home and Garden Television. The crew on the design show made a magnificent headboard out of a metal garden trellis. It looked amazing and it did wonders for the room.

 

Whether you are looking to define space outdoors or whether you are trying to bring the outside in, a metal garden trellis can be the ideal element.

 

Landscaping With Rocks Gives You More Choices

If you’re tired of your yard looking more like it’s a graveyard than a place to go and relax, and you were not born with a green thumb, you should consider landscaping with rocks. Instead of planting trees and plants with names you can’t even say, giving your front or back yard a rough but refined look with rocks, would be a wonderful alternative.

 

Using rocks in a landscaping design is probably the one idea that’s overlooked more than any other yard decorating option. Because the idea sounds so boring, you’re probably thinking that it’s insane and dull. Although, believe it or not, when you are landscaping with rocks, more often than not your yard can look even better than a space filled with greenery that is more trouble than it’s worth. Landscaping with rocks gives a natural look to your yard and provides a sense of order.

 

Most landscaping themes and ideas are so complicated and difficult to take care of that most people would rather just have green grass for a yard. However, when landscaping with rocks you’re not forced to deal with that headache. Contrary to popular assumption, maintaining a yard decorated primarily with rock is much easier. With this idea you’re not forced to run out every evening to water, trim back, and spray for bugs. Landscaping with rocks really only requires that you occasionally wipe down the rock itself and pluck a few weeds.

 

If you happen to live in a climate that is horrible for growing trees, and the most widely seen plant is the cactus, consider that landscaping with rocks was introduced just for you. Since you’re not forced to worry about the health of a rock, you’ll never again have to look out your window and see that once again, the sun and heat has taken your plant’s life. Aside from people who hate growing anything, landscaping with rocks has a practical use as well.

 

Since it eliminates countless hours you would need to spend in a gardened lawn, you’ll be free to use that extra time doing other things that are important and necessary. The rocks won’t die, and you’re able to enjoy some relaxation in a space that doesn’t take hardly any work to keep up. It’s a nice thought that you can have the benefits of a beautiful, natural, and stunning yard without the painful work generally required.

 

Over all, this type of landscaping has benefits that most people often forget about. Because there are so many different ways you can landscape with this material, the ability to create and actually have fun is right at your finger tips. From rock gardens to a rock pond, you’re not stuck with just one idea and one rock. No matter what look you want, or how you want to get it, landscaping with rocks lets you have all the choices, and nature can’t play her evil role any more.