Water Shortage in Northern Utah Has Many Turning to Drought-Tolerant Landscaping
As water levels continue to drop and communities around the state are recommending and/or requiring that water usage be reduced. Many have gotten creative with ways to lower their water usage by installing dual flush toilets, taking shorter showers, running washing machines and dishwashers less regularly, and revamping their yards and gardens to use less water. Here are 11 tips for reducing your water usage and conserving our resources.
How Does Your Water Flow?
Consider the slope of your yard and/or garden, and plan your water usage taking that factor into consideration. If you design your space in tiers rather than steep slopes, your water will not just be runoff into the gutter but will have time to soak into each tier as it descends the slope. Building a raised bed and utilizing hardscape elements and ground cover will make the best use of your water.
Green Comes in Many Shades
While lawns have long been the cornerstone of landscaping design, the water shortage and availability of creative design elements have opened up opportunities for attractive and waterwise landscaping options. One of the most water-thirsty elements of yards is the grass. Reducing the footprint of your lawn will go a long way to lowering your water consumption. Consider using decorative borders to designate the lawn area. Creating interesting shapes for the lawn adds to the visual appeal.
Stepping Stones, Mulch, and River Rocks, Oh My!
You can design a gorgeous feature in your landscape with hardscape elements. Consider installing a decorative sculpture surrounded by a circular walkway. Create visual intrigue by designing multiple points of interest for the eye to take in. After deciding where your hardscape features will go, you can plan walking paths through the design and select areas for growing vegetables and plants.
A Desert Island Or A Park Strip
Park strips are typical sources of frustration for homeowners. It is more difficult to get water to these spots, and they usually do not have any source of shade. Trying to keep grass alive on a park strip is like watering a desert island. It is a waste of resources and effort. Consider converting your park strip to water-wise designs by installing drought-tolerant plants like ornamental grasses and ground cover. Selecting drought-resistant plants for your park strip will prevent rainwater from running off into the street.
Plants of a Feather (Leaf) Flock Together
By keeping plants with similar water needs together is a great way to keep water usage to a minimum. Using native plants as well as plants from drier areas around the world will keep water needs low. Placing plants requiring more moisture in containers can help keep the water where it’s needed most rather than having to overwater the whole garden to make sure those plants that need more water are taken care of.
There are numerous ways to reduce water usage and help conserve resources. Taking the opportunity to get creative with your design while limiting the need for water can be a challenging and rewarding endeavor. Haul 4 U is here to help you with all your material needs. They will deliver all your mulch, gravel, river rock, and more to make your landscape designs come to life.
