Super-savers’ solutions…Every night when I walk, I see water running down the street. Two questions: Why are folks still using sprinkler heads on steroids and why every night? Just wait ’til the City’s plans to ration water hits them. We’re in for a sober, count-the-gallons summer. As a flower garden designer, I’ve been following the water crisis closely. The Anderson household’s reasoning is this: The more we save inside, the more for plants and flowers outside. Our front-loading washing machine really helped (a big expense, but worth it). In the kitchen, a new misty sink aerator automatically limits us (turn it high and you take a bath!). Our crummy hot water system helps too–I fill three buckets with five gallons of shower warm-up water for outside container plants. Kitchen warm-up (using plastic juice containers) keeps four backyard birdbaths fresh. Eve’s Garden Guide…Still watering your grass daily? Here’s how to limit that. Switch to three times a week immediately, adding a few minutes each session. Then reduce, one minute a week. We switched from three days to twice a week, same method, and the grass never looked better! Deeper roots, sturdier grass. Next, visit a nursery (Green Gardens Nursery is at Cass and Beryl) for three important helpers: • A moisture meter–Use it religiously to check containers and flower beds. You’ll be surprised every time. • Bark–Pile it around shrubs and flowers. No weeds, much less watering. We use “fuzzy bark” (shredded redwood) from Armstrongs topped by Microbark from Green Gardens. • Succulents–Instead of lobelia and alyssum in front, I plant two varieties of kalanchoe: “Thyseflora” has soft green paddles and is edged with red (also called “Flapjacks”) and “Tomentosa” offers gray-green, fuzzy finger-clusters with brown trim. Great for pots, full sun or part-shade. Dozens of other cool, unusual succulents await your choice. Get rid of water-wasters…We replaced one ratty grass section with Vigaro rubber bark, a neat brown solution. Stone paths with flagstones can reduce grass areas. And color helps immensely. We spray-paint old rattan or metal chairs and watering cans, with either cobalt blue or “garden green” from ACE Hardware. Use your imagination; even with less water, your garden can still be appealing.
