Hosepipe use

I remember in the summer of 1976 my lawn looked like a cornfield that had been reaped. I really thought I would never have a lawn again, yet within days of having rain it was beautifully green again, and no weeds. I get cross when people waste tap water on grass. Just wait for the rain, and enjoy this wonderful summer.

*that

They look beautiful MawBroon.
Were they pre-planted or your choice of blooms? The orangey colours look particularly summery.
The picture would look more complete with a bottle of wine in a cooler and some glasses on thst lovely table...

Sorry Sarahcyn but we have artificial grass both back and a small front. Hubby works for a landscape company and we have had it down in both houses we've lived in. Easy to clean up after dog and means kids could play out whatever weather without bringing muck into house. When we moved to this house 3 years ago almost got it down asap and we've been copied by several of our neighbours now once the could see the benefits. Ground round here is very wet as we are near a canal. Plant lots of wildlife friendly plants for birds, bees and various tho.

Well I thought a patch of mown grass in the garden is called a lawn. I don't see it as anything posh. And drive indicates cars go on it. Path sounds like pedestrians only. Funny how different people have different perceptions!

I don't water lawn but it gets a bit from hose when I do the pots & beds.
It always comes back green.
It does annoy me that we get this annual gripe about lack of water though.
Some years ago we had a talk from our water board during which he told us that although we have plenty of water as so much flows from Surrey hills every winter that reservoirs are full to brim they have to impose a hose pipe ban. Even in the very hot summer of 1976 they had plenty of water. The reason being that other authorities do not have such good reservoirs & if they did not ban our hoseshere there would be an outcry from neighbouring borough's residents. Then those companies would have to answer for why their reservoirs are sub standard.
Totally mad-if they know they need better reservoirs then sort it!! We pay enough in water rates.

I’m with you mabon1 ... I just say grass, not lawn! Sounds proper posh that! Like saying ‘drive’ instead of path for the 10’ of space in front of a garage.

I have 2 large water butts that I have emptied just watering the fruit and veggies that I am growing, and am now reduced to the hosepipe for them. Would not and never would water the 'lawn' as I am forever grateful if it stops growing for a while as mowing is difficult on my uneven, sloping ground. I long for a lawn that is just moss, nice and green with no mowing ever but the b****y grass is so persistent!

My front lawn is very brown but my back lawn is lovely and green - I knew I was right not to use moss killer! I call my garden the jungle as it is full of well established bushes and perennials and nothing else thrives due to two big trees and a lovely high laurel hedge so I focus on pots for summer colour. I do water those and use compost with water retaining crystals which helps. Living in Manchester, we have has weeks of rain and parts of my garden are still a bit boggy! And no, you southerners cannot have any of our water! My only issue with this not weather is that my gardener still came to mow the grass this week even though it had not grown but it is his livelihood and I would not dream of not paying him. His services are in huge demand and I need him!

Totally agree Panache and Nanak54, and the poster who said the water companies simply don’t invest in updating the infrastructure. They know we’ll always get more rain sooner or later, so they won’t put the investment in. I’ve no patience at all with these pleas for us to use less water.

We don't have a lawn. We do have a large area of grass, which we call the 'Drying Green'. It is currently hosting a big tent and a swingball set. courtesy of the DGC. Not watering the grass but giving the vegetable plot and fruit bushes a good watering late evening using the hose. No hose pipe ban here, nor likely to be thanks to well run, non privatised Scottish Water.

I hate the look of brown grass, but my husband loves it, because it conjures up the feeling of long hot summers...a rarity...and as he says, it always recovers.

Thanks for all the water saving hints DD! My south facing “lawn” is suffering but will only be watering tubs and filling birdbath.

I received an email, yesterday, from our water suppliers, asking us to be economical. They are having trouble keeping up with demand. We have a few moorland fires burning in the area. The firemen have been fighting them for days. Peat smoulders, and the fires can pop up again in new areas. They must be using vast amounts of water. The only thing that will really douse them is several days of heavy rain, and I feel sorry for the poor firemen and soldiers struggling in this heat.
I have moved all my pots of flowers and veg into the shadiest areas, and will do all I can to save water. As far as flushing the loo is concerned, the Aussies have a saying - “If it’s yellow, let it mellow. If it’s brown, flush it down!”
I, too, have left my grass uncut, and it’s still green. My daughter’s, which gets the full blast of the afternoon sun is nothing but straw, but I’m sure that it will soon recover when the rain comes. The birds will not be rationed with their water supply, though. My two birds baths are in great demand, and four magpies have already splashed most of the water out of them this morning!

Consumption has gone up 25% and they cannot treat it and deliver it to source quickly enough. Plenty of water though!

It takes a lot to kill grass. It will bounce back after the rain. I never call mine a lawn, just grass. I haven't the
inclination to tend to my huge patch to treat it like a bowling lawn.

PS Delete last two sentences of my comment this is what happens when ones helpful ??friend offers to edit and post.

A few months ago many, myself included, were complaining that our pride and joy lawns were water logged from days and days of rain. Now its' oh dear look at my lawn its all dried up.Does not any one' mulch' instead of disposing of their lawn cuttings? as mulching during the summer months does help to keep your lawn green if we are told not to waste water. Make the most of this present weather its not the end of the world if for a short period you have a scorched lawn as without a doubt you will have plenty to complain about when, and if, we have a repeat of the' beast from the east' come the winter.





.can't water my bizzy lizzies as we are informed .water clogged Be it floods or drought there is always someone thing to complain

Why won't the weeds in my garden go brown and die when all the nice things need water?

And it will only get worse as we build more houses - who for? They nearly all seen to be 4/5 beds, who has the money to buy them?

Wilma65 The problems we have with water infrastructure are largely related to privatisation. Greedy directors wanting huge amounts of dosh need to pay the shareholders big dividends or they can't justify their astronomical salaries. Then they can't afford to do the upgrading/renewing work that needs to be done.

I'd get rid of lawn - funny idea really growing something only to stop it growing -

I just heard Alan Titchmarsh on classic fm saying don't waste water on the lawn as it will just evaporate. Save it for pots, baskets and newly planted annuals,seedlings etc. Lawn will recover when it eventually rains.

What a mix up in weather. Yesterday, South of England 28c and sun v Lisbon area of Portugal 19c and raining. Had to put socks on to keep my feet warm.

No I don't think it is the end of the lawn and in Portugal they use a tougher type of grass which withstands the sun. We don't have hanging baskets as they need watering at least twice a day. A month of lovely weather in UK, enjoy it as you could be flooded out in August.

I just watched an item on the news and they said there isn’t a shortage of water. There is plenty in the reservoirs but the demand for water means that the pipes are not big enough for the demand. They need to upgrade the pipes really.