PREFACE; Acknowledgements; 1 Causes of water shortages; 2 Plants and water; 3 Know your soil; 4 Organic matter and soils; 5 Your soil is a reservoir; 6 Water quality; 7 Delivering water to your plants; 8 Garden watering systems; 9 Mulches: the facts; 10 New gardens and new gardens from old; 11 Dealing with too much water; 12 Lawns; 13 Water for plants in pots; 14 Testing potting mixes; Appendix 1 Sources of extra information; Index.
Summary
This beautifully illustrated, full-colour book contains a wealth of information on such key topics as: how to improve soil structure to maximise the retention of water for use by plants; selecting drought-tolerant native and exotic plants; working out how much water to apply to different types of plants; choosing the best lawn grass for your climate; rainwater harvesting and use; and how to avoid problems when greywater is used in the garden. With specific chapters devoted to watering systems and equipment, mulches, planting techniques and potted plants, this book offers practical solutions fo.