Water Wisdom

I know there are places where water flows in abundance. Where rain falls, and rivers run freely and Kentucky blue grass grows on the roadside. I, however, do not live in one of those places. Instead, I live in the West. The beautiful, desert-dry West.

Like mine, many cities in the country struggle every summer with drought. Those lush, emerald green lawns that are the idyllic picture of suburban summers quickly become a parched brown by mid-July. In fact, I recently learned from the oh-so-informative Sunset Magazine that up to 70% of the water Western households use goes to landscaping. Which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, except that water is a precious resource in a desert and shouldn’t be wasted.

Water Smart
So, when working on your landscape (or patio), consider the following to maximize the water:
* select plants that are appropriate for your climate. I wrote about this in greater detail earlier this week, so I’ll just restate the principle: if you live in a dry area, choose drought tolerant plants. They use less water and will flourish in hot sun.

* minimize your lawn based on your needs. My husband and I have selected to keep grass for both the front and back of our home mainly because of dogs and future kids, but we limited it to under half of our space. And we also selected a grass blend for the yard that is more tolerant of the sun and drought than typical bluegrass. (to see a great lawn-less yard, click here to read yesterday's post!)

* plant trees. Trees are nature’s air conditioning, and provide shelter from the sun for plants and grass below.

* water wisely. Always, always water your lawn in the early morning or late evening, after the sun has set, to prevent unnecessary evaporation. And consider installing a drip line for your trees, shrubs and garden as they deliver water more effectively than sprinklers.

* mulch. Surrounding your plants with mulch or bark helps retain moisture at the soil level. And yes, you have to replace it year by year, which can be a pain. But it is worth the benefit of water conservation.

Spread it Around
In sum, most of the time when we plan for the plants in our lives, we are free to choose what we like without having to think much about the preferences of others. But when it comes to landscapes, our personal choices do affect the whole community. So, be wise and spread the water around.

Previous Related Posts:
Oogling Outdoor Spaces
Get in the Zone: knowing which plants to choose
Taking my Design Obsession Outside
**visit Retro Summer's webpage!**

Oogling Outdoor Spaces

I planned on writing out a whole post about designing for the outdoors. But then I thought, "why don't I just show them what I'm talking about?" So I scavenged Sunset Magazine and came across these 5 outdoor favorites: Tomorrow I am going to talk about water conservation considerations with landscaping, and thought this house was a perfect preview! You wouldn't know it by looking at it, but the plants in this front lawn are all drought tolerant and low maintenance. And you don't even miss the lawn! Notice also how the path curves toward the door rather than climbs straight up? (curving is a key to good landscape design). And the use of different textures and heights? Also note that there is not one blooming flower in this yard, and yet it is absolutely beautiful--proof that you can go a Long way with just foliage! I love this outdoor hanging chandelier! Constructed with a wire basket, some crystals and candles, it is so romantic and inviting. This is exactly the type of whimsical lighting feature that I love to see in a backyard, perhaps hanging from a tree or from under the eaves of a deck. A how-to tutorial on creating your own gurgling fountain accompanies this photo. The sound of running water is a really nice addition to a patio or lawn, and since this fountain recycles the H2O, it is eco-friendly. I'd love to stumble upon this while walking through the border of a lawn, and appreciate how these designers nestled it in among perennials and shrubs. This is a great example of an outdoor room! Of course, creating a stone patio isn't rocket science, but it's not the easiest project either. Here it is executed so well, with a lush border and those rustic chairs. For a similar effect without all the labor, gravel (or even mulch) would work wonderfully. Kinda makes you want to sit and stay awhile, right? Finally, this photo displays a lot of things happening all at once. The brick circular base adds such charm to this yard, and I really love the way the pots surround the base of this simple bird bath. Clearly the color choice for this outdoor room is chartreuse and purple, but you can see the variety of plants and textures used to create that palette! And of course I love the little girl playing in the center, and can only wonder at what her imagination is making of this idyllic spot!

Of course there are Millions of other photos of outdoor spaces that I could have added for us to drool over, but blog posts can only be so long! My recommendation? Take advantage of landscape features in summer magazine issues, and clip the photos you like. Put them in a book or file for future inspiration, and try to tackle one project a year.

And if you already have a favorite spot in your garden or lawn, share your photos now by uploading them to Retro Summer's Flickr page!

Previous Outdoor Living posts:
Good Bones
Light Up the Night
Ode to Patios
**Retro Summer's webpage**