| Effective irrigation and efficient water management | | | | It aims to provide optimal growing conditions to the |
| are about supplying suitable quantities of water to the | | | | garden plants, while using as little water as possible. |
| garden plants, at the right intervals. Both these | | | | Does all this though have to be at the expense of the |
| parameters differ in accordance with various groups | | | | beauty of the garden? As it happens, grouping plants |
| of plants. Trees and shrubs of tropical origin may thrive | | | | together that have similar water requirements also |
| on soil conditions that are almost permanently moist, | | | | makes good design sense. In other words, plants that |
| while species from dry climates invariably prefer the | | | | grow in similar habitats tend to look good together, |
| soil to dry out somewhat between the waterings. | | | | while the opposite is also true. Here are some |
| Herbaceous flowering plants need to be watered | | | | examples that clearly illustrate the point. |
| frequently, while under such a regime, herbs are liable | | | | *Olive trees and date palms grow in radically different |
| to suffer from a lack of air in the root zone. | | | | habitats, yet they are often planted together in |
| The cardinal rule of garden irrigation is therefore to | | | | Mediterranean gardens. Now ask yourself; do they go |
| install separate lines for the different groups of plants | | | | well together? |
| that make up the garden. While sprinklers are used for | | | | *I've seen the massively -leaved Philodendron "Beefy", |
| lawn irrigation, drip irrigation is more suitable for the rest | | | | an archetypal tropical plant, planted next to the |
| of the garden plants. Needless to say, both have to be | | | | fine-leaved Pyracantha, a Mediterranean species. The |
| separated from each other, to avoid them being | | | | look is totally incongruous. As one would expect, the |
| operated together. | | | | tropical Philodendron requires an entirely different |
| In addition, separate taps for drip irrigation should be | | | | irrigation regime from that needed by Pyracantha. |
| installed for those groups of plants that have different | | | | *On the other hand, herbs like Rosemary and |
| watering requirements. The greater the separation, the | | | | Lavender associate perfectly in visual terms with other |
| more accurately one can calculate the quantities | | | | arid and semi-arid plants like Junipers, Pistachios, |
| needed and fix the intervals between each watering. | | | | Sumacs and Pomegranate. All can be grown on a |
| For example, in a hypothetical garden in Southern | | | | similar and limited water regime, typified by deep, |
| California, entirely independent lines would be installed | | | | occasional soakings. In fact, it is not by chance that this |
| for the shaded beds containing ferns and tropical fruit | | | | is the case. All possess the small leaves typical of a |
| trees, the mass of water-conserving shrubs and | | | | climate where the plants reduce water loss by |
| landscaping trees, the herb garden planted in a bed of | | | | restricting the surface area of the organ (the leaf) |
| pebbles, and the annual flowers growing in pots. | | | | through which water evaporates into the atmosphere. |
| Professional irrigation therefore has two principle sides. | | | | |