Newspaper Article

Interesting article up in the Waterloo Record today:

The humble barrel has served humanity for centuries with little need for innovation. Vessel for Niagara Falls daredevils, garment for Denver Broncos fans, material for downtown Waterloo sculpture -- the cooper's creation has performed its duty admirably.

As a landscaping object, however, the traditional barrel leaves much to be desired.

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Saving Water Never Felt So Good!

There are two reasons why rain barrels make sense:

(1) Global shortage in drinking water- Global warming is turning fertile land into arid deserts, and
(2) Environmental reasons- Man-made creations are altering ground-water run-off patterns, which is damaging the environment.

Prior to urbanization, rainfall soaked into vegetation and slowly flowed underground. This natural filtration process removed sediments and pollutants that can clog streams, reduce oxygen in the water, and poison aquatic ecosystems.

Unfortunately, in urban communities, paved surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks, and streets prevent stormwater runoff from naturally soaking into the ground. Instead, the downspouts of houses are usually directed into sewers, which is discharged untreated into bodies of water. Sediments, debris, and harmful wastes from this stormwater can cloud the water, and damage local eco-systems. Excess nutrients can cause algae blooms; these algae blooms suffocate fish and other aquatic wildlife by stealing their oxygen.

One way you can eliminate harmful stormwater run-off is to invest in a rain barrel. Rain barrels prevent stormwater from entering directly into the water table, thus helping the environment. And rain barrels can look nice! The Agua rain barrel, depicted in the image above, is very elegantly designed, with smooth clay-like contours. It's made in Canada (Cambridge, Ontario) and is designed to withstand a Canadian winter. Call 519-624-2554 to inquire.

GreyWater, what is it? What can you do?

In general terms greywater refers to wash water. Wash water being water used for washing dishes, washing your clothes, and shower water. What doesn't qualify as greywater is toilet waster water and food waste water derived from garbage grinders.

The term often used when describing toilet waste water is "blackwater" their is a clear distinction between grey and blackwater. Blackwater contains very high levels of nitrogen and various pathogens which are difficult to filter and are very harmful if mixed with drinking water.

Diagram below illustrates a scenario for recycling greywater:













For further greywater information, and a full greywater planning guide visit: www.greywater.com

Outside Water Conservation

With more emphasis being put on becoming more environmentally friendly these days, water conservation is a subject on everyone’s mind. It doesn’t have to be difficult – in fact there are many simple things you can do around your home to help with saving water, especially outside in the summer. We’ve put together a list of the top 15 things that you can do outside to save water this year.

1. Get a rain barrel. Saving rain water reduces the amount of water you would otherwise get from your hose. This is especially beneficial during those dry drought periods you may get during the summer.

2. Water your garden either first thing in the morning, or during the evening. Watering your garden or lawn during the hottest part of the day will only result in most of the water evaporating, and won’t do your lawn and garden any good.

3. Get your car washed at a car wash that uses recycled water, or use a product like the California Car Duster. The Car Duster removes dust from your car, helping it maintain a clear appearance without the necessity of rinsing it with water!

4. Don’t spray your driveway, sidewalk, deck or porch with either your sprinkler or hose. If your driveway is dirty, or covered in leaves, sweep the mess up with a broom or blow it off with a leaf blower. If you are watering your lawn or garden, position your sprinkler so it doesn’t water your driveway, street or sidewalk.

5. Most neighbourhoods have watering schedules, where you can only use water outside on certain days during the summer. Find out what these days are, and observe them.

6. When mowing your lawn, set the blade to the highest possible height. Longer grass will grow deeper roots, and will help shade the soil enough to prevent water evaporation. Keep the blades on your mower sharp to prevent tearing of grass, which has a tendency to look unhealthy. Lastly, don’t use a bag on your lawn mower to collect grass clippings – let the clippings fall onto your lawn. These clippings will help fertilize your lawn and keep moisture in the soil.

7. Use a water-efficient sprinkler. Some sprinklers, such as the Rainforest brand of sprinklers, will save up to 30% less water when using them compared to a typical sprinkler, but splitting the water drops into a mist that helps to improve the quality of watering you give your lawn or garden.

8. Make your garden larger. Grass needs more water than most other plants. Why not try adding a paved area to your yard, or a mulch bed around your trees to help reduce grassed areas?

9. Check for leaks on a regular basis – this includes around all faucets, connectors, hoses, sprinkling systems, and around your swimming pool.

10. Plan your garden properly – group plants that have similar watering needs together. Also, try to do your planting in either the spring or the fall, when these plants are going to need the least amount of water.

11. Weed your garden regularly. By weeding regularly, you will remove other plants that are competing with your own plants for water, which will in turn mean that you need to water your garden less.

12. Choose any water features that you install in your garden carefully. While everyone loves the sound of trickling water, if the water is running too fast, there is the chance that you will lose a lot of it while it bounces out of the water feature or evaporates.

13. Don’t over-water your lawn. Usually lawns only need to be watered once every 3-5 days. When you are using a sprinkler, don’t forget that it’s on. Use a timer to remind you to shut if off, if you need to.

14. Use mulch in your garden instead of soil. Much helps with the absorption of water, and prevents it from evaporating as quickly as may otherwise happen.

15. When watering plants, make sure you are watering the base of the plant, where the water can quickly get to your roots. By watering the leaves of the plant, your plant is less likely to get the water that it needs, and it will more easily evaporate.

Great new pictures of my rain barrel!

Pictures of my Cascata Rain Water Collection and Storage System

Here's what the Cascata rain barrel looks like in my backyard! Who says rain barrels have to look ugly???

Stylish rain barrels that help save the environment

We all know that you should save water. And having a rain barrel in your backyard is a great way to save water. However, have you noticed that all the rain barrels that you get from the city are eyesores? City-issued rain barrels can cause irreparable damage to your property value!

What you’re looking for is a well-designed and nicely colored rain barrel that will enhance your backyard, instead of diminishing it. One rain barrel which I love is the Cascata rain barrel. Its smooth contours make for a stylish choice, and its earth-tone complexion renders it color-neutral; it’s able to blend into any backyard landscape. This rain barrel goes great with both brick and stucco, offering both style and elegance.

The Cascata holds 60 gallons of water- enough to water your garden and your lawn! It comes with a tap at its base, which allows you to fill watering buckets. And it also comes with fittings that allow you to hook several together in series, for those extra-large lawns. The Cascata also has a sister, the Agua, which is more compact, and holds 50 gallons of water. Both the Cascata and the Aqua are Made in Canada.

This spring, invest in rain barrels: invest in the environment, while increasing your property value!

Finally there is a general book on water storage. It is estimated that on the average water system, Oasis Design's book will pay for itself a hundred times over in errors avoided and maintenance savings.

My Ideal Garden: Landscape Design and Home Garden Ideas - Created by professional designers, My Ideal Garden is your online guide to pictures and advice that will help turn your landscape design idea or flower garden plan into reality.