Planning Your Garden
- Choose drought-tolerant native turf, plants and shrubs that can handle our summer extremes and are easy to maintain.
- Choose plants, shrubs, and trees that, when fully mature, will require little additional irrigation and will fit in with the landscape so that minimal pruning is required.
- Remember that grass has different water requirements than the other plants in your yard, so consider using separate irrigation systems so that all plants get the correct irrigation. For example, use a sprinkler for your lawn and lines of drip tubing for row crops. Hanging baskets, on the other hand, are often best watered by hand.
Use Water-Saving Ornamental Grasses
- If you must have grass, choose grasses that require less water than the traditional Kentucky bluegrass.
- Consider non turf-type, ornamental perennial grasses such as blue fescue, which tolerate drought well and are adapted to Edmonton's climate.
If you must have grass, choose grasses that require less water than the traditional Kentucky bluegrass.
Slopes
- Minimize the use of slopes in your yard. If you already have a slope, use intermittent watering to allow enough time for water absorption, and plant drought-tolerant ornamentals there.
Use Microclimates