It’s been a hot, dry summer but don’t let that affect the beauty or health of your garden! With these simple and easy gardening secrets your garden will look great and survive the heat, all while using a minimal amount of water.

1. Choose Your Plants Wisely

Choose plants that require a minimal amount of water to survive and thrive, including:

• Herbaceous Perennials – winter hardy plants that come back every spring
  • Purple cone flower (Echinacea)
  • Lamb’s ear
  • Day lily and lily of the valley
• Annuals – plant young transplants instead of growing from seed
  • Cornflower
  • Strawflower
  • Short zinnias
• Flowering Shrubs – add colour without needing a lot of water
  • Japanese tree lilac
  • Yellow twig dogwood
  • Dwarf Deutzia

2. Use Rain Barrels

Rain barrels provide free, warm water that is rich in oxygen and is better for your plants than using cold tap water. If you use water more efficiently your plants will do better with less of it in the hot, summer months.

3. Mulch

Mulch insulates your garden, helping to reduce dehydration of your garden’s roots after you have watered. Mulch is particularly important around new plants because young plants are at greater risk of drying out over the hot weather. Mulch can reduce your watering by up to 70%.

Whether you live in an area with a watering ban, have your own well system, want to help the environment or just save money using less water this summer is a worthy cause. It is possible to achieve your water reduction goals, use less water and have a fabulous looking garden.

Contact Cedargate Landscaping to learn more, or simply search our plant guide for help choosing the right plants for your garden.