Water in the Garden?
Again, I feel compelled to answer back to the garden magazine I love so dearly. One might begin to wonder why I love it so much when I am always criticizing it. I'll have to think about that one.
In any case, there is an article in its latest issue about water in the garden. I felt so despondent reading it and thinking about the messages being sent to western gardeners. The magazine was condoning the use of fountains that have large bowls of exposed water. The kicker was that they were publishing this article just as the weather is really beginning to heat up - NOT the time to start using more water.
What the heck were these people thinking? It's irresponsible to promote more water usage in our parched landscape. It's one thing to present photos and descriptions of fountains with reservoirs that are submerged beneath the ground. These types of fountains conserve water.
In a climate where we get no rain other than during the winter months, we must change the way we think about water usage in the garden. Any exposed water during the dry months is bound to evaporate quickly. This applies to re-circulating fountains as well.
While I want to be respectful of my favorite western lifestyle magazine, I have to speak up when I read articles that promote environmentally unsustainable gardening practices.
I don't understand why they don't embrace the reality of our region. What will it take for them or others seemingly unconcerned with our water shortages to change their way of thinking?
Gardening with an eye toward conservation and ecological consideration is the only way of the future. If we continue to waste our resources, there will be no more greenery. And then what will this magazine promote?
California native plants are the logical solution to our problems with drought. They work in concert with the environment. We have to educate ourselves and those around us to the beautiful symbiosis of gardening with our indigenous flora. The magazine I speak of has the obligation to promote their use every time they publish a new issue.
In any case, there is an article in its latest issue about water in the garden. I felt so despondent reading it and thinking about the messages being sent to western gardeners. The magazine was condoning the use of fountains that have large bowls of exposed water. The kicker was that they were publishing this article just as the weather is really beginning to heat up - NOT the time to start using more water.
What the heck were these people thinking? It's irresponsible to promote more water usage in our parched landscape. It's one thing to present photos and descriptions of fountains with reservoirs that are submerged beneath the ground. These types of fountains conserve water.
In a climate where we get no rain other than during the winter months, we must change the way we think about water usage in the garden. Any exposed water during the dry months is bound to evaporate quickly. This applies to re-circulating fountains as well.
While I want to be respectful of my favorite western lifestyle magazine, I have to speak up when I read articles that promote environmentally unsustainable gardening practices.
I don't understand why they don't embrace the reality of our region. What will it take for them or others seemingly unconcerned with our water shortages to change their way of thinking?
Gardening with an eye toward conservation and ecological consideration is the only way of the future. If we continue to waste our resources, there will be no more greenery. And then what will this magazine promote?
California native plants are the logical solution to our problems with drought. They work in concert with the environment. We have to educate ourselves and those around us to the beautiful symbiosis of gardening with our indigenous flora. The magazine I speak of has the obligation to promote their use every time they publish a new issue.
posted by Mom 2 Miles at
10:22 AM
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