While landscaping a Winnipeg home with plants can add to the curb appeal and also increase the property value, most plants should be watered daily so that they grow well. Often the plants will wither and die if they are not watered regularly, and will have to be replaced, increasing the gardening and landscaping expenses.
So, property owners who may not be able to water their plants daily because they are traveling regularly, or wish to reduce the amount of water they require for their garden are interested in getting more information about Water Conscious Landscape ideas available.
Lawn and plants
One way to significantly reduce the amount of water that is required is to reduce the lawn size. Grass will grow well, only if it is watered regularly and requires more water than most other plants including vegetables. The other alternative is to replace the grass with artificial turf which does not require water, should only be cleaned occasionally.
Rocks can also be used to replace the lawn. The other plants used for landscaping should be native plants or drought-tolerant plants. These plants will flourish even if they are watered only a few times in the week, they do not require daily watering. Thus, the time and effort for watering the garden will be reduced.
Hydrozoning
While doing landscaping Winnipeg the layout of the property, soil and terrain should also be considered. Plants should be selected based on their requirement for water and sunlight. In hydrozoning, plants that require a similar amount of water should be grown together to make watering them easier.
Ideally, the plants which require more water should be grown closer to the water source, while plants that do not require much water can be grown some distance away. It is also advisable to cover the soil with mulch which helps in retaining the water and prevents the growth of weeds.
Rain barrels
Most people are not aware that rainwater is high-quality water, which helps plants grow faster. Usually, in most homes, the rainwater is allowed to drain away. One way to reduce the water bill is by collecting free rainwater using rain barrels. These are placed at the downspouts so that the water from the roof will collect in the rain barrels.
During the weeks when there is no rain, this water can be used for watering the plants, and also for other cleaning purposes, especially cleaning pathways and cars. Depending on the size of the home, multiple rain barrels will be used.
Permeable pavers and soil
Often homes in Winnipeg have concrete pathways, driveways due to which all the excess water is drained away and lost. Instead of concrete permeable pavers and other similar materials should be used, so that the water will be absorbed by the soil. When it stops raining, the water is retained in the soil, and used by the plants, reducing the requirement for water from municipal sources and water bills. Using good quality soil that will absorb the rainwater and retain it for some time will also help. For more low water consumption landscaping ideas please contact Classic Landscapes.