Latest news with #droughttolerant
The Independent
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Expert predicts what your garden will look like in 2050
Drought-tolerant plants, Mediterranean trees and vertical growing will dominate our gardens by 2050. You can also expect more smart innovation - according to garden designer Kitti Kovacs. Kovacs is creating "Illusion 2050," a garden of the future, in the new Gardens Of Curiosity category at this year's RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival. The exhibit will showcase how gardeners can adapt to climate change while maintaining beauty and biodiversity. Kovacs cites a 2024 report by Kew Gardens, which warned that over 50 per cent of its trees, including oak, beech, and holly, could be at risk by 2090. The report calls on the horticulture industry and urban planners to increase the diversity of trees and shrubs. 'They are looking for solutions, for replacements for these trees and shrubs which may become non-existent because they can't cope with climate change – and we need to follow the same principles,' she says. 'Everyone can do their bit.' So, where will we be by 2050? 'We will be more aware of sustainable materials which are sustainably sourced, we will reuse things, repurpose materials and will be going back to natural materials,' she says. ' Plants we are using will be low maintenance.' Smart lighting which is wildlife-friendly, rain-monitoring irrigation systems and apps which provide information at your fingertips will become more prevalent as an aid to gardeners, she predicts. 'By 2050 we will have systems where a garden designer would create your plant list which is stored in a computer system which decides which plant should be watered at which time of the day.' Vegetable growing will also be more calculated, she says, with systems taking account of the needs of families and the amount of produce they will need to grow, along with warnings about growing thirsty plants such as tomatoes which won't survive if you go on a two-week summer holiday and don't have anyone to water for you. We should have more success with citrus, grapes and other heat-loving fruits in a warmer climate, she adds. Tree changes Trees which are common in the Mediterranean, such as olives, should thrive in our changing climate, she says. 'We need to be creative. Fagus (beech), for example, will be vulnerable, but if we are using ornamental trees, Italian cypresses, which need less water, are being used in my garden. Trachycarpus (palm trees) will also be happy in a warm environment.' 'We will be looking at drought-tolerant plants and those which are native in areas of Europe such as eryngiums, lavenders and ornamental grasses. 'Ornamental grasses are a really good bond between plants. I love my Sesleria autumnalis grasses because they look good all-year round. It's a low-maintenance evergreen choice.' Plants such as hydrangeas will disappear because they are really thirsty, she predicts. Vertical growing People with limited space will be growing plants in vertical set-ups as a matter of course. Vegetable gardens will often be hanging gardens in smaller spaces, where they will get more exposure to the sun and there will be widespread automated watering systems incorporating sensors to detect when the plants need watering, she reckons. 'If you look it up in the dictionary, sustainability means something you can keep for a long time. For me, I ask, can my clients look after it? Is it suitable for their lifestyle? 'I think the appearance of gardens will change as they become more like grassland, with combinations of perennials which look good all-year round, such as salvias, eryngiums, sedums, which are Mediterranean-type plants but you don't have to do much with them.' Bulbs will still be big ' Bulbs are great for enhancing our gardens, because they store their energy in the bulb, so things like alliums are amazing and you can have them in different shapes and sizes, and there are really reliable.' Water butts and other systems developed for harvesting rainwater will become more commonplace as water becomes more scarce, she anticipates. 'More people will have water features in their garden which can keep the rainwater clean by circulating it all the time and we can use solar panels to drive water pumps. 'We can use rainwater to irrigate our gardens but water is also a really beautiful feature and beneficial for mental health. By 2050, more people will look at gardening as a way of life, a way of being part of nature to cure their anxieties, and will be spending more time outside looking after their gardens.' 'British people have a deep connection to their lawns, which are usually their pride and joy. But for wildlife alone, it is an unusable space. When you have a lawn in your garden you have no birds, butterflies or bees coming in because they are looking for food. 'Only when you start adding bushes, perennials and flowers do you introduce plants which are beneficial for pollinators.' Perennials will be prevalent Perennials which are beneficial to pollinators will help our insects during climate change, she predicts. Layering will also become popular so that larger plants can provide shade for smaller ones.
CBS News
11-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Elk Grove's eco-friendly recycled water plan faces major setback amid rising costs
ELK GROVE — A plan to irrigate Elk Grove parks, trees and plants with treated sewage water is in jeopardy. The recycled water was supposed to benefit the city's last large-scale urban development, but city officials now say using recycled water won't work. A new 1,200-acre neighborhood near Bruceville and Kammerer roads in Elk Grove was supposed to be an example of environmental conservation. It is designed to be drought-tolerant by using treated sewage water in parks and landscaping. "It's really an environmental stewardship," said public works director Jeff Werner. "Recycled water preserves the use of surface water and potable water." Many streets are already equipped with dedicated purple pipes to deliver reclaimed water, but now this eco-friendly Harvest Water project is going down the drain. Werner is recommending that the city cancel the recycled water program in this southeast neighborhood. "The estimated cost of the system has jumped nearly $17 million over the past couple of years," he said. "The city and taxpayers in other areas would have to subsidize the cost of the system." Construction on the Harvest Water project is already underway along Franklin Boulevard. Crews are laying more than 40 miles of underground pipes that will deliver recycled water from the regional sewage treatment plant, through Elk Grove, and to farms in southern Sacramento County. Up to two and a half million gallons of recycled water a day were supposed to go to this neighborhood, which will eventually add 17,000 new residents. "If the project isn't affordable, really, this becomes a burden on the taxpayer," Werner said. The Sacramento Area Sewer District says the loss of Elk Grove customers won't jeopardize the project and reclaimed water will still be used in the East Franklin and Laguna Ridge areas. "This was really an initiative that the city was hopeful to implement, but that doesn't always work out," Werner said. The total Harvest Water project is expected to cost nearly $600 million, and construction is scheduled to be completed in 2027.
CTV News
30-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
‘Use a lot less water': Environment Lethbridge plants new drought-resilient garden on city's west side
Drought-resistent plants are the focus of a new garden in Tartan Park in West Highlands in Lethbridge. Conserving water and finding alternative planting options is the focus of a new garden installed on Lethbridge's west side. A new drought-resilient garden has been installed in Tartan Park in West Highlands as a way to demonstrate the possibilities of drought-resilient landscaping in Lethbridge. 'The tree that you see is a honey locust tree, which is not a native species, but is drought-resilient,' said Kathleen Sheppard, executive director of Environment Lethbridge. 'We have some native shrubs like snowberry, spirea and then we have some native grasses and plants -- some of things you might see in the coulee like flax.' The garden was built in partnership with the City of Lethbridge and funded by the Wawanesa Local Climate Champions Fund. Sheppard hopes the project will not only add aesthetic value to the park but inspire homeowners to explore different landscaping options. 'So, drought tolerant plants --once they're established so it usually takes about a year where they need a little extra water to grow into their space -- will use a lot less water than plants that are not native to this area or just need more water overall to grow,' Sheppard said. Planning for future With water levels of the Oldman Reservoir sitting slightly below normal and a hot, dry summer forecasted, Sheppard says residents should be planning for the future now. 'Using drought-tolerant plants doesn't mean you have to use lots of rocks and lots of cactuses,' she said. 'Our weather is increasingly hot and dry and so that means if we want to have landscaping in our homes that doesn't consume so much water, then we need to be looking at some of these alternatives.' The City of Lethbridge parks department is finding ways to be sustainable in its own spaces throughout the city. 'We do have a large list of trees that are resilient to the changing climate so those are being implemented in different urban parks,' said Raene Barber, sustainability engineer with the City of Lethbridge. 'As well, our parks department is doing naturalization projects within urban parks as well so looking at instead of planting turf grass, planting native species.' The planting of drought-resilient plants marks the start of Environment Week in Lethbridge. Tree planting Both Environment Lethbridge and the city will host a tree planting event in Redwood, Lakeview and Columbia parks next week. A Beyond the Bin recycling roundup will take place on June 7 at Park Place Mall. The event will be open to residents to bring paint, electronics and other challenging recyclables to be collected by the city. The city will also be hosting a birding workshop and a 'how to build your own rain barrel' event throughout next week. 'Everything matters when it comes to the environment so even if it's something small that you're doing in your home, it absolutely makes a difference,' said Barber. Next week is Environment Week! ♻️🌱 Join us each day as we share stories and practical tips to help reduce waste, save water and more. Let's work together to protect our planet and build a greener future! 🌎💚 Follow along 👉 — City of Lethbridge (@LethbridgeCity) May 30, 2025 Applications are now open for the city's environment incentive program. The program offers rebates for purchasing rain barrels and replacing old toilets with new low-flow toilets. A full list of Environment Week activities can be found here.
