When I read of people washing towels after a single use or having 10 showers a week, when I see water mains leaks in our village despite repeated reports to the authorities, when I see the scale of investment in our water infrastructure relative to the pay outs to directors and shareholders, I have no qualms about watering my garden … and even then I do it frugally.
Our village is supplied from a bore-hole so I definitely have no qualms. The only thing that holds me back is being on a water meter
Clay soil - Cheshire/Derbyshire border. I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
We aren't metered here- we pay a flat fee within our council tax, and it's actually quite hefty. Whether we're careful or not with our water, we pay the same, but it annoys me that people still think 'I'll use as much as I want because I'm paying for it anyway, and there's plenty available' when others are more responsible. We had the driest, hottest summer on record here last year, and I was being careful with what I did, simply because I see it as being a responsible citizen to do so. Maybe I shouldn't bother caring....
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I try to use water frugally, when it comes to the garden. Edibles take priority. Then the more expensive shrubs. Used grey water last summer, more than ever before. Emptying the bath, bucket by bucket, saving the shower water. Trundling down the stairs with each bucketful. Neighbours thought I was crazy, but the only plants they have are grass and weeds. And they use a sprinkler!!!
We're metered. I don't think it stops most people from using water. My neighbours continue to wash their taxis every day and pressure-wash their paved-over front gardens because they're paying for it, so why shouldn't they...
I do love my pots, sorry @AuntyRach, as they let me enjoy my favourite flowers (camellias, azaleas) which would probably not do so well in the garden. And the roses I am most anxious not to lose live in pots because I can protect them from the puppy more easily. But all these are ones I can only use rainwater for so it doesn't negate your point really.
I liked this episode a lot... Carol Klein and Monty are both great, and I loved the wonderful colours of the florist fella's garden. Appreciate Carol Klein for so carefully giving plant names and so on. She packs a lot more info into her time than most of the others. Nice to see kids gardening, too.
I have no problem that you all disagree and of course, we have 3 pots for certain perennial herbes which can’t be grown in clay, but they don’t need much water.
I remember that one woman in a GW episode who had a garden double the size what we have and has only pots because she likes them to move around. Sorry, but you haven’t lived in an area where you come home after a long day and open the tab and there is nothing. We had this until we moved to Wiltshire.
I know that there are people who wash their cars, fill their swimming pools, have daily long showers, and, and, and. As far as I remember, all who justified the use of pots only (!) are the same who complained about climate change and empty water reservoirs last year.
Sorry, doing our bits is much harder that people are ready to give.
BTW, our water company has reduced our monthly bill by 1/3 to £20 and that after last year. It is possible, we only have to do the effort to do what we already know.
Enjoyed parts of it. Be interesting to see the end result in the paradise garden, always thought the grasses were completely wrong for that particular concept but it's his garden after all. I liked the fritillaries as well although mine are doing well in a sunnier and dryer spot than Monty's so I must just be lucky.
I think there is a way he could have achieved the look he was after (inspired by this place), but the grasses he selected are notorious for flopping (and in the case of Anemanthele, being short lived). Hakonechloa might have been more successful, or Sesleria. He seemed to use the Anemanthele just because he had it to hand elsewhere in the garden.
"What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour".
@Simone_in_Wiltshire I remember that woman and that episode too and thought she was mad. Fine to have that many pots if she really can't get plants in the ground but absolutely barking not to have some sort of automated irrigation system which would save both time and water.
Our water is metered but I still water the tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers, courgettes and squashes, the soft fruit bed and the dahlias with a seep hose and I use a hosepipe and spray nozzle for the pots on the terrace and in my nursery. We do have 7 water butts but they run out very quickly when the droughts start.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
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Our village is supplied from a bore-hole so I definitely have no qualms. The only thing that holds me back is being on a water meter
I play with plants and soil and sometimes it's successful
We had the driest, hottest summer on record here last year, and I was being careful with what I did, simply because I see it as being a responsible citizen to do so. Maybe I shouldn't bother caring....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Edibles take priority. Then the more expensive shrubs.
Used grey water last summer, more than ever before. Emptying the bath, bucket by bucket, saving the shower water. Trundling down the stairs with each bucketful.
Neighbours thought I was crazy, but the only plants they have are grass and weeds. And they use a sprinkler!!!
I do love my pots, sorry @AuntyRach, as they let me enjoy my favourite flowers (camellias, azaleas) which would probably not do so well in the garden. And the roses I am most anxious not to lose live in pots because I can protect them from the puppy more easily. But all these are ones I can only use rainwater for so it doesn't negate your point really.
I liked this episode a lot... Carol Klein and Monty are both great, and I loved the wonderful colours of the florist fella's garden. Appreciate Carol Klein for so carefully giving plant names and so on. She packs a lot more info into her time than most of the others. Nice to see kids gardening, too.
I ♥ my garden.
Our water is metered but I still water the tomatoes, chillies, cucumbers, courgettes and squashes, the soft fruit bed and the dahlias with a seep hose and I use a hosepipe and spray nozzle for the pots on the terrace and in my nursery. We do have 7 water butts but they run out very quickly when the droughts start.