The United Nations World Water Day, held on 22 March every year since 1993, focuses on the importance of freshwater – and Cumbria in Bloom is highlighting the need for gardeners to be water savvy.
World Water Day is about taking action to tackle the global water crisis. And the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) of which Cumbria in Bloom is one of 18 Regions, says water is part of the climate and biodiversity crisis.
Chair of Cumbria in Bloom, Ronnie Auld said: “As gardeners, we can make choices that help support our most precious resource – water.
“World Water Day is the perfect time to look at what we can do to minimise the amount of water we are using and to take often small actions to improve the way we garden.
“We are calling on gardeners to swap mains water for rainwater as one easy and effective action.
“While plants are known to be beneficial for health, wellbeing and the environment, making small changes can also help save water and reduce surface runoff and flood risk, promote healthier soils that store more carbon, and create stronger, more climate-resilient gardens.
“The greatest saving is thought to come from not irrigating lawns during dry spells. Simple ideas like using drip trays to catch drainage water from pots and tubs could make a difference with a saving of more than 3.3 million baths of water each year.
“Likewise mulching new plants can limit evaporation resulting in them needing to be watered less often.
“As we look at the range of competitions that Cumbria in Bloom is running this year, one thread applies to them all and that is biodiversity. Cumbria in Bloom intends to do more than just pay lip service to the seriousness of species and habitat loss. Following on from the successful introduction in 2021, entrants to all our competitions can, optionally, enter the Biodiversity Award where the marking will take into account water conservation and water use.”
RHS say 383 million baths full of water could be saved if one-in-10 households pledge not to water their lawns. And as much as 205 billion litres of water per year from household taps – enough to fill one billion water butts – is thought to be used by homeowners outside every year with a large proportion of this attributed to gardens.
Janet Manning, RHS water scientist said: “Water is not often talked about as part of the climate and biodiversity crisis, but it’s where we will begin to feel the effects first and where we as gardeners can make a difference.
“We know that plants need water to survive but it’s often not as much as thought, as wasted water often disappears underground.
“By helping your soil to better capture and retain rainfall for your plants to use during dry periods you can reduce your overall use and benefit from a garden that will better withstand more frequent dry spells.”
Cumbria in Bloom is asking gardeners to think about using the top 5 tips from RHS Water Scientist Janet Manning to reduce water usage and have a blooming garden:
1) Install a water butt – these are extremely useful for harvesting rainwater. When rain is forecast, install water butts or clean out your existing ones ready to collect it. If you don’t have one, you can still use watering cans and old bins to collect rainwater.
2) Switch to watering in the morning – domestic water use tends to peak in the early evening, so start watering early in the morning to ease the demand later in the day. This will also help provide the water that plants will draw on through the day and will avoid it just draining away at night.
3) Don’t water your lawn – lawns are tough and you may be surprised at how quickly they bounce back after rainfall.
4) Swap hoses for a watering can – an hour’s use is equivalent to the average supply for a family of four for two days under normal circumstances. Using a can slows the flow when watering containers, meaning more water stays in the pot rather than running out the bottom.
5) Train your plants to drink more slowly by giving them less– using less water will actually encourage the plants to drink less. In essence, if you keep the glass half full, your plants will adapt and learn to drink more slowly.
For more help in saving water, Cumbria in Bloom sponsors United Utilities offer lots of advice and FREE water saving gadgets, simply go to www.getwaterfit.co.uk
Cumbria in Bloom 2022 entries are now open, and entry forms are available from the website cumbria-in-bloom.org.uk
