The biggest users of water in your household are your washing machine, dishwasher, toilets and gardens. If you’ve got a lush green lawn in the middle of summer, you know how much water you use to keep it that way. Water is a precious resource, more and more so in our world where average temperatures seem to be on the increase on a yearly basis. Just because water restrictions are looming or in place, it’s no reason why you still can’t have a beautiful garden. You may have to change your gardening philosophy somewhat but it is possible.

Some tips to ensure you have a water wise garden :
1. Increase the water holding capacity of your soil
You can do this by adding organic matter. This can be in the form of compost or animal manure. If your soil is packed with clay then adding gypsum will help to break it down to make it easier for you to dig in the organic matter. For garden beds that are established you may find it hard to dig in the organic matter without damaging plant or tree roots, I’d suggest just adding it to the surface (an inch is a good measure) and let the worms do the digging in for you.

Another way you can increase the water holding capacity of the soil is to add water saving crystals - these swell up and store moisture and release it slowly into the soil without allowing it to drain away too quickly. Can work out quite costly though so I tend to prefer using organic matter.

2. Add mulch around your plants
Organic matter above can act as mulch. Problem with some types of organic matter is that it can harbor weed seeds and you may find weeds popping up if you just add it to the surface. Wood chips, straw, hay, shredded newspapers, sawdust, sugar cane mulch all work well and will break down. Pebbles or gravel can be used too but I find that it makes it hard to do ‘top ups’ with organic matter to feed my soil if these are laid down - plus children find it terribly enticing to pick up pebbles and throw them about the lawn and my lawn mower blades come up second best as a result. There are inorganic mulches around like weed mats but I find that these usually need to be secured or they can blow away in wild weather and aesthetically they aren’t all that pleasing.

3. Get rid of lawn
Lawn is one of the biggest water guzzlers (next to vegetable gardens) in the garden. Consider if you really need a big expanse. Children prefer to play on hard surfaces with their bikes. Consider using ground covers instead.

4. Reduce evaporation and water loss when you do water
Drip irrigation is highly effective and delivers water straight to where it’s most needed. Sprinklers waste up to 50% of the water delivered.

5. Plan your garden
Group plants together so that you have plants with high water needs eg vegetables, soft stem plants in one spot so that you only water plants which need it more often and others less. Not only will you be increasing the efficiency of the water used, it will also make your gardening chores easier if all your ‘needy’ plants are in one section of the garden. Choose plants that suit your climate and native to your area. Native plants have adapted to the weather conditions in your local region so they are less likely to wilt when times are hard. Not only will you find it easier to keep them alive, some will positively thrive with little maintenance on your part.

6. Collect rainwater
Put in a rainwater tank in your garden. It’s free, it’s unchlorinated - what more can you ask for?

7. Keep your plants healthy
If your plants are infested with pests and suffocated by weeds, they are already stressed so easing off the watering would only stress them more and more than likely send them to plant heaven. Most plants need more watering when they are first planted and tend to need less as they establish themselves.

8. When you do water, water deeply
Don’t just sprinkle the surface of the soil. That will only encourage the plant to send surface roots. It’s better to water less often and deeply when you do than to water scantily daily. Occasional deep watering will encourage the plant to send roots deeper into the soil.

Okay everyone of us has those items in the backyard or garden that are just an eyesore. My rotating clothesline is one of them. Utilitarian it may be, but still in amongst all my plants it just stands out like a sore thumb. I guess the best way to get around this problem is to screen the problem area off. You can grow screening hedges which would be lovely but then you have that age old problem of waiting for the plants to grow large enough to act as a screen. Lattice screens are a great alternative and there are many options out there which are aesthetically pleasing.

Here are just a couple I’ve found from Plow and Hearth.

I like the wrought iron nature of this screen coupled with the softening effect of the pot plants. Click here for more information

Hide your garbage bins with these lovely white lattice panelsClick here for more information

Tri fold lattice panel that’s durably crafted of all-weather, oiled keledang.Click here for more information

This display of cacti caught my eye because it was simple and yet very effective. Mass planting cacti on raised beds to ensure great drainage is one way of creating drama in the garden. I must say that in the arid climates it would work very effectively.

Stunning use of bromeliads and tillandsias in the garden - with minimal soil requirements - they like living in leaf litter. I love the architectural elongated leaves and their bold colors. Some of them have just been glued onto the tree trunk - and whilst some would shudder at the brutality of this treatment, most tillandsias seem to take it in their stride - living up to their namesakes of ‘air plants’ - most take in moisture from the air and not via elaborate root systems.

I visited the Garden Show in Singapore in December 2006 and took a couple of pictures - they really don’t do the display gardens justice really - the enormity of the event with showcases from the best landscaping designers was an inspiration in garden design and floral artistry. I saw bold and glamorous depictions of what a garden could be with stunning displays of clever foliage and plant use to tantalize the senses. Here are just some of the highlights (it was hard to take pictures because the entire garden show was indoors and whilst the mood lighting was tremendous - it wasn’t wonderful for my digital camera - still I tried my best).

One of the many show gardens which showcased unusual effects using black rods to great effect. I’m not sure it’s a terribly practical garden to have in your backyard where you’d have to weave your way through the rods - that plus the varying heights from the mounds would make this a ‘view from a distance’ only type garden. Still, this garden used only foliage to make a point and the interesting textures and lack of flowers actually draws your eye to the more elaborate and distinctive architecture of the ‘non-living’ items. Not one of my favorites in the garden show but certainly ‘interesting’.

Picking a garden rake isn’t hard - it really boils down to what you intend to use it for. Most gardeners I know own more than one garden rake. The tines (teeth) of garden rakes can be made of rubber, plastic or metal. Traditionally, most metal garden rakes are used on lawns for sweeping up garden leaves. I find that plastic garden rakes tend to break with annoying regularity so they aren’t really good for heavy use. Rubber garden rakes work well on concrete but metal rakes work best on grass.

The other consideration to think about is how wide you want the rake to be. The wider width garden rakes will be harder to use in amongst garden beds or you’ll be raking up more than just leaves! As with most things, buy the best that you can afford and garden maintenance will be less of a chore and more of a joy.

This is the port wine magnolia bush I have in my backyard (scientific name Michelia figo). As you can see, it’s a dense bush shrub and grows slowly to reach a maximum height of 3m (10ft). It’s seen here next to the deep green foliage of my camelias so it’s a nice screening plant to add to your repertoire of plants. The flowers come out in spring and aren’t much to look at but the perfume is glorious. The foliage is lighter green (with hint of yellow) so it works nicely with as a highlight against dark green foliage plants. It’s a great hedge although it does take a while to get to the desired height so don’t hold your breath. Here in my backyard it’s planted in part shade but it can take full sun. It needs a well drained soil (which plant doesn’t?) and also likes to be fed with well rotted compost.

The magnolia grandiflora is a magnificent tree with broad strapping leathery leaves and can grow up to 80ft in height. Typically the trunk is straight and the tree forms branches which tend to result in a pyramid type crown. The leaves are of particular beauty with their deep green tops and velvet like undersides which are a lovely russet color. The flowers are large and a glorious crisp white with wafts of fragrance and covers the tree beginning spring and all through summer. There are lots of different cultivars - my favorite is ‘Little Gem’ if only because it’s a dense small tree (up to 20ft) and fits well into a smaller backyard.

To grow the magnolia grandiflora, you need to plant the tree in full sun (or partial shade but not full shade). Whilst the tree is pretty drought tolerant, like most trees (and plants), it will grow best in rich fertile and well drained soils. It tends to prefer rather acidic soils so if camelias and azaleas thrive in your garden then this tree is certainly going to do well too. Ideally it copes best in USDA Zones 7-9 although horticulturists are attempting to extend their range with new cultivars which are more tolerant of frost. To propagate, you can grow the magnolia grandiflora from seed (bright red and kidney shaped - can’t miss it) which appear after cone like fruit forms on the tree after flowering. Be forewarned though, it’s a large tree and unless you opt for the smaller ‘Little Gem’ it’s going to need space to grow. Another thing to note is that the leathery leaves take a long time (and I mean a long time) to rot down so if you’re a neat gardener, you may opt to rake up the fallen leaves under the tree canopy and put them in the compost instead.

Organic pesticides are just that - organic and natural. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that because they are organic that they are any less ‘potent’ or poisonous than your artificially brewed concoctions off the supermarket shelves. Some of these so called ‘organic’ pesticides are pretty deadly to pests and humans alike so take all the necessary precautions ie gloves, masks when you do spray or use them just to be on the safe side and if you are using these pesticides on your edible vegetables or fruit, wash them carefully before you eat them!

Organic pesticide 1 - good old garlic spray

The garlic spray is a good all round insect repellent and it works well against aphids. Some gardeners plant garlic bulbs under their roses to act as deterrents. I must say that planting them under the roses haven’t worked as well for me as the full on spray. You make it by finely chopping up about 100g of garlic cloves and adding this to about 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Leave the mixture to stand overnight then dissolve about 30g of soap flakes in 500ml of water and stir in the garlic mix. The soap in the mixture helps make the garlic mixture stick onto the leaves and petals of the plants. Strain the mixture to take out the lumpy bits of garlic then take out about 10-20ml and dilute it with 1 litre of water - this you then add to your spray gun and away you go!

Organic pesticide 2 - bicarbonate spray

Works well for powdery mildew although I’ve recently learnt that the milk spray works just as well if not better. To make the bicarbonate spray, add about 20g of bicarbonate of soda to a bucket full of water with enoughsoap flakes dissolved in it to make a rich lather. Use the spray on BOTH sides of leaves - some gardeners only spray the tops and wonder why it doesn’t work!

Organic pesticide 3 - milk spray

Wonderful new addition to the array of organic sprays - milk works wonders against powdery mildew! Use a mixture of 1 part milk to 9 parts water - reports of a 90% reduction in severity of powdery mildew has been reported! More is not better apparently. If you increase the concentration of milk to 30% it will in fact result in some other fungal growth so keep to the 1 part milk to 9 parts water mixture for the best results.

Orchids with their beauty, diversity and complexity are hard to beat in the plant kingdom. You can’t help but marvel at their uniqueness and I must say they are often as close to perfection as you could possibly get in a flower. Orchids are the largest family of flowering plants on earth, boasting over 30,000 different species, with an excess of 200,000 hybrids. The versatility of orchids means that you can find them at home in the equatorial tropics and just as comfortable in the arctic tundra, and anywhere else in between. The orchid’s adaptability has allowed it to flourish in all these environments where most plants fail. So the good news to orchid enthusiasts (or beginner orchid growers for that matter) is that it is this very adaptability to different growing conditions that allows you to easily find an orchid that will grow in your climate. By and large, most cultivated orchids are tropical and in their natural habitat, they are epiphytic ie they attach themselves to the bark of trees, or the surface of other plants. They have thick roots which are very efficient in absorbing moisture and nutrients. Tropical orchids prefer good air circulation and light and would flourish in conditions that provide these every day of the year.

Top 10 Orchid Care tips

Orchid care tip 1

Most orchids will bloom only once a year. Having said that, if you provide them with optimal conditions they may reward you with more frequent blooms. The best thing to do if you’re after an orchid that will bloom in a particular season is to buy it in bloom when you’re after the orchid blooms

Orchid care tip 2

The amount for light required for different species of orchids is variable. You can get clues as to the amount of light your orchid needs by looking at its leaves. If the orchid has only a couple of leaves and if it’s leaves are leatherlike, then it’s highly likely that it will need LOTS of light. If on the other hand your orchid has limp and soft leaves then it’s probable that it’s actually quite sensitive to light and therefore should not be put in a south facing window sill.

Orchid care tip 3

Many an orchid has died from excessive watering – orchids can actually put up with drought far better than over watering. Sitting your orchid in a water logged potting mix with no air circulation through the roots is the surest way of sending your orchid to the grave! Allow the growing medium to actually dry out between waterings. Watering your orchid weekly is sufficient. The only time you should probably ease off on the weekly waterings is during any dormant time in their growth eg in winter and after you’ve repotted.

Orchid care tip 4

Pick the right growing medium. Whilst there are some orchids which do grow in soil, most tropical orchids are epiphytes (ie they have roots which are exposed and pretty much live in a soil-less environment). To mimic this, you need a growing medium that will provide excellent air circulation and drainage as well as give the roots somewhere to adhere to. Fir bark nuggets are by far the most popular orchid growth medium.

Orchid care tip 5

Living in the tropics means that most orchids love humid conditions – 60-80 percent is best. These conditions will probably be okay in summer and spring but in the winter where most homes are heated and humidity, your orchids will need some form of artificial provider of that 60-80 percent humidity. You can purchase a humidifier for your orchids or if it’s just one lone plant that you have, you can increase the humidity in it’s local microclimate by setting the plant on a gravel filled tray – mind that you don’t submerge the whole root system in the water, remember point 3 – the whole plant has to be sitting ABOVE the water. Some orchids also benefit from being misted.

Orchid care tip 6

There isn’t much nutrients in orchid growing media so you will need to provide the plant with its food in order to sustain healthy growth. Frequent fertilizing with a weak dilute fertilizer regularly is by far better than the feast of famine situation where you fertilize heavily and then forget about it again for weeks! Only fertilize when the orchids are actively growing ie this means no fertilizing after re-potting and in the dead of winter.

Orchid care tip 7

Orchids hate to be re potted, and will usually sulk and refuse to flower for at least a year after the event. If you’re thinking about buying your orchids as a bareroot specimen, then this tip is vital to know – you may not see a single bloom from your orchid till 1-2 years (or more) later! Better to purchase your orchids in established pots AND in bloom to avoid disappointment.

Orchid care tip 8

Orchids like being crowded so don’t be overly liberal in your choice of orchid flower pot. Most orchid growers will use plastic flower pots because it’s easier to detach the roots come repotting time or some would even snip the pots apart.

Orchid care tip 9

When potting up your orchid, you can fill the bottom inch or two of the pot with Styrofoam “peanuts” – this ensures good drainage and adequate air circulation. Then put the orchid over the pot, and fill the rest of the flower pot with fir bark. Ensure that the crown of the plant is just a bit below the top of the flower pot.

Orchid care tip 10

At some stage in your orchid’s life, you will need to repot (and propagate the other plant divisions). Just remember that if you do divide a plant, the parent plant (and usually the babies) will probably sulk and not bloom for at least a year. Don’t just pot up one plantlet, pot a couple together so that the pot is more ‘crowded’ and the plant is more likely to then bloom sooner for you. The larger the orchid plant the more flowers it will produce for you.