When we arrived at Willow Greens Farm in early April 2021, the terrace garden was dormant. We had no idea what to expect, but one thing was certain: whatever emerged from that garden would need water. Our earliest gardening purchases included a watering can and 25-foot hose. To say things have evolved since then would be an understatement.
The property is situated outside the town limits which, in these parts, means our water comes from a well. While it requires some extra attention (read: $$) to maintain safe potable drinking water, the well is a fantastic resource for garden irrigation.
We were thrilled to have a natural, renewable water source for the property. But with big dreams for more garden spaces, could we do more? Yes, we could. The Kitchen Garden was our first major project, and the barn proved an ideal place for capturing rain water in two 50-gallon barrels, which we used to water plants by hand.
Next our thoughts turned to the spring house, which sits beside a bit of creek running along the main road.
We needed a way to provide water to several new trees on this part of the property. After evaluating various solutions, we decided to start small (read: cheap) with a pump at the spring house and a 200-foot outdoor extension cord running uphill to an outlet at the front of the house. Connect 300 feet of hose to the pump and voila, happy trees, although someone has to move the hose from tree to tree every 30 minutes or so.
In our second year, we redesigned the terrace garden into a White Garden, and realized our 25-foot hose was unable to reach across the full length (rookie mistake). Manually watering the Kitchen Garden beds also became a real chore. We soon realized we could spend all day just watering what we already had, let alone the new garden spaces that were beginning to take shape. Some basic automation was in order. We installed drip irrigation in the White Garden, with a timer to control the flow. A couple of sprinklers, also on timers, served the Kitchen Garden, and we amassed a small collection of 100-foot hoses which could be linked together to travel from a hose bib to (almost) anywhere.
This year has brought more irrigation needs. The greenhouse includes a mister, and use of a timer has been a source of daily delight for a resident tree frog. We’ve placed soaker hoses in the Kitchen Garden’s raised beds as well as the Beech Hedge and the Croquet Lawn beech perimeter, and even in the shelter belt of trees at the far end of the pasture. We also have some handy sprinkler-heads-on-stakes which can be moved around on demand. But once again, it’s a time-consuming process especially with this spring’s very dry weather. Watering’s “moment of zen” is beginning to wear off. The quick fix is more timers and a schedule.
Every day we are thankful for the well, the springhouse, and the rain barrels which, in addition to the environmental benefits, provide a cost-effective water supply. The rain barrels would benefit from the addition of a pump and possibly more storage capacity. And it’s beginning to seem like we’ve extended the “hose and sprinkler with timer” idea to its limits. The next irrigation evolution has yet to take shape … but I have no doubt that it will.
I wonder, have you guys considered installing a cistern? Also, do the hamlets and burgs around you have central water taps locals can draw on?(back in the BF, ID days many a valley resident took to town with giant containers in truck beds for their water).
As someone who is also on a well, who also waters by hand, I share your dry weather concerns. What a gift that spring house has turned out to be! Although our well taps into an underground stream, with water tables going down as things heat up, I have been planting more indigenous species which can tolerate a longer period of dryness than my peonies and roses. Once your trees get firmly rooted, will that free up your watering demands a bit?