The Natural Gardener
These days a water butt is almost essential in every garden. It might not seem like it after a month of heavy rain, but if this and last year are anything to go by, we’re in for more and more dry summers in future. For me in south Lincolnshire, weeks went by in summer without a drop of rain and, not wanting my water bill to go sky high, I could rely on my butt for top ups – until it ran out, of course, due to lack of rain! Nevertheless, it saved a muchneeded resource, which is only going to get more valuable.
I’m giving my water butt a good clean this week, using eco-friendly Water Butt Fresh (from www. greengardener.co.uk), and I’m considering setting up another. Over the next few months winter rains can provide me with a good stock of water to help me in dry spells from spring. I’ve got a nice slimline butt tucked up against the shed, but I could definitely do with more. My heathers, blueberry, rhododendron and carnivorous plants all prefer rainwater to nutrient-added tap water, and I’ve got dozens of containers that drink me out of house and home all too quickly.
If you look beyond our garden fences to the bigger picture, climate change and a population boom means water resources are under pressure, so we really should use our tap water sparingly. It takes a lot of energy to treat and pump tap water, so storing rainwater is much more environmentally friendly. Plus more and more natural rivers and wetlands are having their water pumped out for our use, meaning pressure on wetland wildlife. It also seems silly to pay and use water pumped in from afar when we can harness gallons of it for free right outside the door!
What at first seems like just a good way to save money on your bills is actually a good way to help our wildlife, countryside and natural water supplies.