Comments on: Wishing well

By: Sue

Sue — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:57:20 +0000

We’re having one of the wettest summers I remember – I’ve never seen it looking so green at this time of year. We’ve had continual storms, cloudbursts, and hail in chunks the size of ice cubes. Watching CNN this morning, someone said something oalong the lines of “If you’re having extreme weather conditions, you can be sure that someone somewhere is experiencing the opposite”. How right.

Sue, the pendulum swings, I guess. We’ve got storms in the forecast this week – maybe we’ll get a taste of your weather… -kris

By: deb

deb — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 04:29:33 +0000

I have spent the last two days in a rainwater harvesting class. Too bad the class started after the rain stopped. Hat with a fan sounds like a wonderful invention.

Hi Deb! I hope you’ll soon be able to put into practice everything you learned! -kris

By: Layanee

Layanee — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:27:51 +0000

Kris: How big are those cisterns? Definitely a good idea but perhaps a necessity back when the house was built and people depended on themselves rather than their government to provide. If I were ever to build another house, it would have a cistern. A big one! Very dry here also and I am watering in the morning. It is difficult to see plants sizzle and then fizzle but I did buy a new hydrangea ‘Quick Fire’ today. Optimism reigns supreme. Here is wishing you a hat with a fan!

Layanee, Dan told me that the cistern in the Enclosed garden is about 13′ in diameter and 10′ deep – a good size! I’m sure you’re right that cisterns were a practical necessity back in the days before town water. And I don’t know how old they all are but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Van Wickles had more cisterns installed after their first house was destroyed by a fire… -kris

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 01:26:21 +0000

What a lot of work it must be to keep everything there watered and healthy! I hope you get a good, drenching rain very soon.

Where I live the summers are typically very dry and because of this forest fires are always a big concern. The city keeps us on a schedule for sprinkler use to reduce pressure on the water system. I’m just starting a garden so I’ve been very focused on using drought tolerant plants, a lot of mulch, and soaker hoses under the mulch while the plants get established. My one established bed (all plants are at least two years old) thrives on nothing but the occasional rainfall. We’re also getting rid of most of the front lawn, one new bed at a time. We’re in the process of building and installing rain barrels.

Thanks, Amy! It sounds like your garden is (and will continue to grow to be) perfectly suited to your climate. A lot of work goes into making a garden that thoughtfully but it will be lower maintenance as it gets established. Applause, Applause! -kris