| Living in Colorado and being a gardener has been | | | | seeps right past. This is all takencare of with the drip |
| rather stressful in thepast few years, as this state | | | | system. |
| has been undergoing a rather severe drought. | | | | If you still seem to need more water than you can |
| The city is imposing watering restrictions which are | | | | supply to your garden,you might consider which |
| not giving enoughwater to lawns and plants. I've had | | | | plants you could replace with less waterdependent |
| to renovate my garden to make it morewater | | | | plants. If you want a good shrub that doesn't use up |
| efficient. Now, because of the techniques I've | | | | more thanits share of water, look for Heavenly |
| employed, I'm theonly one in my neighborhood with a | | | | Bamboo. It is not only tolerant ofdroughts, but looks |
| garden that isn't completely brown. Soif you live in an | | | | rather decorative in any garden. Herbs such |
| area that is going through a drought or if you just | | | | asrosemary are useful in preparing meals, and are |
| wantto save water, I suggest you use some of | | | | rarely thirsty. |
| these techniques as well. | | | | If you're trying to find flowers that will still be lush |
| First, I took out all my plants. The soil I was using | | | | and beautifuldespite the lower amounts of water, |
| didn't retain watervery well, so I had to water about | | | | look for penstemon varieties like |
| twice as much as necessary in order toget it to | | | | Garnet, Apple Blossom, Moonbeam, and Midnight. You |
| actually absorb into the roots. If you have this same | | | | can attracthummingbirds and butterflies with varieties |
| problem,you can fix it by loading the soil up with lots | | | | like Cosmos and Yarrow. Thebest part about all |
| of compost. This not onlyprevents water from | | | | these plants is that they don't look rugged |
| escaping, but encourages the plant's roots to | | | | andwithstanding, but they sure are. Your neighbors |
| behealthy and able to survive more. | | | | wont be saying "Look atthem, they downgraded |
| Once I was done optimizing the soil for my new low | | | | their plants just to withstand the drought. |
| water consumption plan, | | | | Whatchumps!" Instead they will be marveling over |
| I was ready to replace all my plants. I decided that | | | | how you keep your flowers sobeautiful in the midst |
| the placement of allmy plants would reflect the | | | | of the watering regulations. |
| amount of water necessary to keep them alive. | | | | One of my favorite drought resistant plants is the |
| All the plants that don't require much water I placed | | | | Lavender plant. I couldgo on for pages about it. A |
| in on one side of mygarden, and then just | | | | large group of Lavender plants looksunbelievably |
| progressed in the amount of required water to | | | | gorgeous in your garden, and hardly requires any |
| theother side of the garden. As a result of my new | | | | water toflourish. Pineapple sage is another personal |
| arrangement, I don't haveto waste water on plants | | | | favorite. It is a 2+ footshrub that smells strangely of |
| that don't need it as much. | | | | pineapple. It's another major attracter |
| The installation of a drip irrigation system was | | | | ofhummingbirds, and the leaves are also useful to add |
| another move on my partthat reduced the amount | | | | taste to drinks. |
| of water I needed to fully water my garden. | | | | So if you are in the position I was, and you're dealing |
| Thegreat thing about these systems is that they | | | | with a drought andperhaps watering regulations, I |
| constantly drip into yourplants, so that every single | | | | suggest you try some of the things I'vementioned. |
| drop is absorbed. With traditional wateringsystems, | | | | Even if you're just trying to conserve water or be |
| usually the roots get too overwhelmed with the | | | | generallymore efficient with it, I think you'll still be |
| sheer amount ofwater in the soil. Thus, lots just | | | | able to benefit. |
