It happens every year doesn't it, we have rain every day for the Winter and then come Summer we somehow get low on water. They keep saying that the Summers will only get hotter, so in preparation we have decided to look at what we can do to save water whilst we're in abundance of it, to use in our gardens throughout the Summer when we need it.

The easiest place to start is with the rain water that falls on our roofs. We already have part of a system in place to collect and divert it with our guttering, all that's needed is to store that water instead of letting it run into the drainage system. One way to do this is with a water butt.

Water butts come in varying designs and sizes to suit your space. If you have a larger garden and if one isn't enough you can get water butts that link together so that when one is full it starts to fill another, or, if you have the space an IBC tank can hold a lot more water and can be covered in trellis or panelling to disguise them. 

If you wanted to take rain water collection a step further, for perhaps a community garden or allotment you could always look at larger storage tanks that can be kept above or below ground. Underground rainwater harvesting systems are a bit like a mini reservoir for your garden, collecting and filtering water from roofs before storing it out of sight. A pump can then be used to bring the water back up when you need it, making it possible to store far more of the water from our property without taking up space above ground.

Should we think about water storage at the building stage? 

As we build new homes, should we also be thinking about where rainwater will go from the very beginning? Rather than adding things like water butts later, new developments could potentially incorporate larger scale rainwater storage into their design - including underground tanks or other systems that collect water from roofs and hard surfaces. Collected rainwater can then be stored and used for gardens during drier periods., reducing demand on mains water and also helping to manage heavy rainfall. With wetter Winters and longer, hotter periods during Summer, perhaps water storage should become as much a part of planning a new home as drainage itself. 

Want more ideas for saving water in your garden? United Utilities has lots of practical advice on reducing water use outdoors, from watering effectively to making the most of the Cumbrian rainfall. You can check it out below!

 Save water in the garden | United Utilities

Keeping the rainwater in the ground

Of course, not all rain falls neatly on our roof to be collected, a lot of it falls onto the ground itself. There are such things as rain gardens, where the ground is slightly sunken and filled with plants that can take both wet and dry conditions like meadowsweet, marsh marigold, sedges and rushes, creating an attractive feature that also provides a great habitat for wildlife. The rain gathers here and slowly gets absorbed into the ground. 

RHS have a handy guide on rain gardens and tips on making them if you fancy giving it a go. 

If a rain garden isn't in your garden plan, you could always make the most of the rain that has fallen by mulching your garden to keep the moisture in. A layer of decorative bark will stop the rainwater evaporating so quickly and keep it where it is needed. Making sure your soil is in good condition is also an excellent way to retain moisture, this is where our peat free compost/soil improver really comes in, giving your soil a good covering of this will improve the soils overall ability to retain water. 

Following on from this blog, we will be keeping our eye out for clever rainwater collection and storage ideas, so if you see something, give us a shout!

 

( With thanks to Whitehaven Garden Centre for always being happy to let me wander round and spend my money whilst we get photos!)