From 60p B&Q bargains to £1.50 Homebase buckets, here’s how to keep your lawn lush all summer
DESPITE the fact it seems to have been raining constantly since September – Britain is still facing the prospect of another hosepipe ban this summer.
But with a bit of careful planning, you could be the envy of all your neighbours with a lush green garden while theirs withers in the heat.
According to the RHS, 150 water butts could be collected from the average UK roof each year.
And the Energy Savings Trust claims you could save £50 off your annual water bill by avoiding tap water in your garden.
TV Gardener and designer Tom Massey is putting together a WaterAid garden for Chelsea Flower Show funded by Project Giving Back, with architect Je Ahn – showing how to best harness the power of rainwater.
He gave Sun Gardening his top tips.
“The most simple thing is to disconnect your downpipes – and connect that to a water butt or to a planter, or direct it into a small depression in your landscape – like a wildlife pond.
“It’s all about keeping the water in your garden,” he said.
“It’s also a good way to stop our mains systems becoming overwhelmed, and something like a pond also encourages wildlife, so one simple thing has so many ripple effects.
“Also think about what you’re planting – look to hotter and dryer climates to see what they’re growing.
“Creeping Thyme, lavender, Rosemary, sage, these are all good plants to think about, especially for windowsills and balconies.
“Look after your soil. Mulching is a cost effective and efficient way of creating a protective barrier to insulate the soil, keeps in moisture and protect against erosion – and needs less watering.”
He added: “It’s easy to feel like you’re so small, nothing you do can have an effect on the catastrophic climate change crisis.
“But if everyone can make small changes, and we all start to disconnect our downpipes, and think about how water is managed, and plan our gardens to be more resilient and beneficial to wildlife – there’s 30 million gardeners out there in the UK – and 30 million small changes makes one big difference.”
For more information on water saving visit www.mains2rains.uk/
BUTTS OUT
These products will save you time and money
- Waterbutts come in all shapes and sizes. B&M’s is only £19.99 with a stand.
- For hanging baskets and containers, you can use water retaining gel – Miracle-gro’s is £4.65.
- If you fancy splashing the cash, the Dipping Tank Company have developed award winning, stunning garden tanks that not only look beautiful but double up as water storage.
- Hozelock sell a £49.99 porous water hose that massively reduces water wastage.
- Crocus’ brass raincatcher is £30, which directs the rain exactly where you need it.
- Place saucers beneath pots to collect drainage – B&Q’s start at 60p.
- Use a simple £12.85 converter kit from screwfix to direct your downpipe into a wheely bin/receptor.
- Or just put some buckets around the garden to catch the rain – Homebase start at £1.50
YOUGARDEN OFFER
YouGarden are offering the stunning ‘Red Baron’ on a Buy One Get One Free basis for a limited time only! A hardy perennial that comes back bigger and better each year – SAVE £12.99!
See the video above for more.
READY SHEDDY
THERE’S still time to enter the 18th annual Cuprinol Shed of the Year competition.
For the first time ever creators aged 18 – 25 can also take part in their own category – just one of seven that Sheddie hopefuls can enter to be in with the chance of winning an all-new prize.
Alongside £1,000 in cash and £250 worth of Cuprinol products, this year’s winner will also be awarded an exclusive overnight stay in a relaxing nature resort. Entries close May 31.
Visit www.readersheds.co.uk for more.
PLANT IT UP
Tom Massey’s WaterAid garden has more than 150 different types of resilient plants and trees.
Including Digitalis Purpurea (foxglove), Fragraia Vesca (wild strawberries) Iris, Carex pendula (Pendulus sedge) Cretaegus monogyna (hawthorn) Alnus glutinosa (alder) Geums, nasturtiums and Nuphar Lutea (water lillies)
THIS WEEK’S JOB
Pull up all your spent bluebells. There’s something very satisfying about getting them out in one piece – and don’t worry, they’ll be back again next year.
THIS WEEK’S TIP
Use a garlic spray to deter slugs – two bulbs in 2L of water, boil until soft, mush it all up, strain it, and use an old spray bottle to cover your plants.
SAVE!
Sit back and relax with Bean Bag Bazaar’s indoor/outdoor £49.99 beanbag
Or slouch in The Range’s £29.99 offering.
LEARN!
Q. I’ve bought some hanging Begonia’s for the first time – what do I do at the end of summer, do I cut them right back to soil level or below soil level? M Chinery, Bow, London.
A. As long as they are tuberous Begonias, allow them to die back, then remove the tubers before the first frost and store them in a cool dry place to overwinter.
Make sure you water well during summer as hanging baskets dry out really quickly – and feed them!
If you don’t’ have place to store them, cut them back to about 10cm and hopefully they’ll return next year.
WIN!
One very lucky reader can get their hands on this beautiful Haddonstone £199 cast stone Baluster birdbath – suitable for any outside space.
To enter fill in this FORM
Or for more details visit www.thesun.co.uk/BIRDBATH
Or write to Sun Bird bath competition, PO Box 3190, Colchester, Essex, CO2 8GP.
Include your name, age, email or phone. UK residents 18+ only. Ends 23.59GMT 25/05/24. Full T&C’s HERE