Avoid Water Problems in Your Garden & Landscape

Water is a precious resource that must be conserved.  Unidentified irrigation challenges can lead to high water bills, be detrimental to plants, create environmental issues, cause property damage, and increase your liability.  The following is a landscape maintenance tip from Island Landscape, a licensed landscape contractor in California and Hawaii, to help home owners and property managers know what to look for.

Soil run-off, erosion, moss, green walls, and dramatic changes in plant coloring can all be signs of excessive water use, along with more obvious signs of over watering such as ponding or running water.  Keep an eye out for these symptoms and take appropriate action.  

Your professional gardener or  landscape maintenance company should regularly monitor your irrigation system for:

• appropriate seasonal watering (making adjustments for rainfall and other weather conditions), 
• damaged sprinkler heads, 
• valve problems, 
• broken lines, 
• improper trimming, etc. 

Correct excessive watering or irrigation system issues immediately and keep a report of the work done.  It will benefit you, your garden and landscape, and the environment.

Be Water Wise

Garden Design Idea: Conserve Resources with Xeriscaping

Xeriscapes incorporate low-maintenance, drought-tolerant and native plants, along with natural and man-made materials, to provide attractive landscapes that conserve water and energy and require less maintenance.

While the word xeriscape used to bring to mind the image of an Arizona, dessert-type landscape, that incorrect perception is changing.  Pictures abound of Japanese rock or sand gardens, container gardens, Mediterranean and Tuscan gardens, Hawaiian and tropical gardens, and more that incorporate xeriscaping principles.

Xeriscapes are creative landscapes that can be based in any landscape style.  They look beautiful, conserve resources and give you the added pleasure of knowing you are helping the planet.

Pictures from various homes in Maui and Lanai featuring xeriscaping.

To contact a landscape expert in Hawaii, visit www.IslandLandscapeHawaii.com.