Episode: #12 18/11/06

Presenter: Sue McDougall

The days of the large backyard have gone. Houses are getting larger and blocks are smaller. Every square metre of the garden needs to look great and be functional. Kim, a garden club member has just built a new house and is desperate for some practical design ideas for her garden she can do herself and at the same time use minimal water. She doesn?t want to pave her whole garden area either.

The featured garden has only been installed for a couple of months and follows some really good practical waterwise design principals that anyone can follow.

When planning out the lawn areas consider the size of the lawn and avoid narrow strips. These are difficult to water and you will find most of the water ends up on paving or paths.

The large format pavers have been laid with a gap for a reason. When it rains on a solid paving area a huge amount of run off water can become a problem. In this case the water runs into the soil and reduces the need for large soak wells. The water is getting back into the soil eventually making its way down to recharge the aquifer.

The owner opted to plant Dichondra between the pavings to soften the outdoor area. Along every gap runs a line of subsurface reticulation pipe. This system is very efficient when it comes to watering and this whole area is watered on one tap. Inline drippers at 15cm spacings emit water slowly. If you are interested in this type of reticulation system as well as saving heaps of money and water, the Government is offering a $100 rebate per household.

The narrow strips down the side of a house can be a problem for homeowners. Large windows and doors look out onto a fence, which is often less than 1m from the door. A water wall water feature is a great idea to bring the outdoors in and creates a tranquil feeling to the garden. All these self contained water features re-circulate the water so minimal water is used and the capping of a low retaining wall can double as a seat.

Raised garden beds have had a quality soil improver added and correct plant selection will ensure the garden stays waterwise for a very long time yet. Mulch has been applied to 10cm thick so water stays in the soil and doesn?t disappear through evaporation.

If you would like more ideas on waterwise design and planning a garden from scratch you might like to join the online garden club.

The Waterwise Rebate Program
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