Good Gardens with Less Water
Presents easy-to-understand advice on how to care for garden soils and grow good quality plants even under the toughest of conditions.
It is possible to have a great garden anywhere in Australia, even under the toughest water restrictions. Good Gardens with Less Water will show you how. + Full description
A companion to Kevin Handreck’s best-selling Gardening Down-Under, this new book is a practical guide to gardening with limited water.
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 for anyone who wishes to garden sustainably.
- Short descriptionNews
This title is no longer available in print format, but can still be purchased as an eBook.
A companion to Kevin Handreck’s best-selling Gardening Down-Under.
Watch an episode of "Down to Earth" where Kevin Handreck offers advice how to use water most effectively in your garden. "Down to Earth" was a series of thirteen segments shown on the ABC's "Gardening Australia" program. More videos from the series are available on YouTube
Reviews
"For the garden beginner, a handy reference. For the new home builder, read this book before anyone touches a square centimetre of your block. For the experienced gardener, it would be surprising if they did not find many things they did not know."
DCS, SALife Magazine, July 2010
"…and this book contains a wealth of useful information. It is much more than just about how to have a good garden with less water. This book provides all gardeners, novice or experienced, with an insight into how to garden both successfully and sustainably into the future."
New Zealand Garden Journal, 2008, vol. 11(2)
"A timely book that offers practical solutions to gardeners and garden designers interested in sustainable gardens. Highly recommended."
Landscape Outlook, December 2008
"Handreck's latest offering provides practical solutions for anyone who wishes to garden sustainably."
Australian Turfgrass Management Magazine, 2008
"Good Gardens with Less Water is a must-read for any gardener serious about minimising watering in our harsh climate."
Messenger Magazine, 2008
"Handreck's latest offering provides practical solutions for anyone who wishes to garden sustainably."
Australian Turfgrass Management Magazine, 2008
Features
- Concise and easy to understand
- Suitable for any size garden in any location
- Shows how to make the most out of available water and improve even the worst types of soil
- Discusses water quality, with particularly detailed information about greywater
Contents
Foreword- Causes of water shortages
- Plants and water
- Know your soil
- Organic matter and soils
- Your soil is a reservoir
- Water quality
- Delivering water to your plants
- Garden watering systems
- Mulches – the facts
- New gardens and new gardens from old
- Dealing with too much water
- Lawns
- Water for plants in pots
- Testing potting mixes
Acknowledgements
Index
Authors
Kevin Handreck is a retired CSIRO soil scientist who manages his own horticultural consulting company. He chaired Standards Australia committees that set the Standards for potting mixes, composts and garden soils. His other publications include the CSIRO Discovering Soils series, Gardening Down-Under and Growing Media for Ornamental Plants and Turf.Related titles
