Now, in Melbourne we are at stage 3A water restrictions and have been for more than 18 months. Stage 3A is a stage the government invented to avoid going to stage 4 (which would be quite bad electorally). It means you cannot water your lawns, use hoses to wash cars or use automated sprinkler systems. You may water your garden between 6 and 8 am two days a week.
Stage 4 means no watering of gardens at all. This would be a cruel fate for a city with lovely botanical gardens and passionate gardeners and the climate to support a wide range of amazing flora ranging from rhododendrons to kangaroo paw. Question for the government - why target gardeners, who use about 20% of the available water supply, and not industry, which uses more than 60%?
Most have got around the restrictions as we have by installing water tanks and dripper systems. We pulled up our front lawn and the huge liquid amber tree and now have a wonderful desert grass tree garden.
Our gardens have suffered much in the last few years. This was compouded by the bushfires and unbelievably hot temperatures last February, which actually scorched the leaves of our camellia trees.
Whilst I love our climate appropriate garden dearly, I miss lush green lawns. So here are some, from the US and France.
One day, climate change notwithstanding, when and if it starts raining again in Melbourne on a regular basis, we will get all this back. 
1 comment:
I saw a few articles in the National Geo. a couple of times and it truly frightens me. Or is it just me??
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