Harvesting rain water - the time is now
If this summer's heat has left your garden looking a little more parched than usual, you're not alone.
After weeks of sunshine, thirsty plants and hosepipe restrictions in parts of the country, we have been reminded just how much water a garden needs. And while nobody can control the weather, there is something you can do to make your garden a little more prepared for future dry spells - start collecting rainwater.
It might seem slightly odd to be thinking about water storage as summer comes to an end, but autumn is actually be the perfect time to get started.
A hot summer can change your perspective
It's easy to take water for granted when there's plenty of it coming out of the tap. Then the weather stays dry for weeks, the lawn turns crispy, your pots need constant watering and hosepipe restrictions start appearing in the news.
A garden can use a surprising amount of water during a hot, dry spell, particularly if you've got lots of containers, newly planted trees and shrubs or a productive vegetable patch. And while plants might enjoy a good drink, using mains water to keep everything hydrated isn't always the most sustainable option.
Rainwater, on the other hand, is already falling from the sky. You just need somewhere to catch it.
Why collect rainwater?
Rainwater is naturally soft and free from many of the additives found in treated mains water, making it well suited to watering plants.
More importantly, collecting it means you're making use of something your garden is going to need anyway.
A water butt connected to a downpipe can capture rainfall from your roof before it disappears into the drainage system. Even a relatively small roof can collect a considerable amount of water over the course of a year.
And after a dry summer, your garden could be very grateful for that stored supply when the next one rolls around.
Autumn is the perfect time to start
You might think the best time to buy a water butt is during a heatwave, but by then you're already playing catch-up. Autumn gives you a head start.
As the weather becomes wetter, a newly installed water butt can begin filling naturally. Over the autumn and winter, you can gradually build up a reserve of rainwater ready for when your garden needs it most. It also means you're not trying to find a solution when everyone else has suddenly realised their garden is thirsty.
In other words, don't wait for the next hosepipe ban to make you think about water storage.
Which water storage option is right for you?
There isn't one perfect solution for every garden. The right option depends on the space you have available, how much water you want to collect and how you'd like it to look.
Water butts
For many gardens, a water butt is the simplest place to start. They can be connected to a downpipe to collect rainwater from the roof and are available in different shapes and sizes, making it possible to find an option that works even where space is limited.
They're particularly useful for watering containers, borders and vegetable beds, and you can gradually increase your capacity by adding more than one.
Dipping tanks
If you want to collect water, support plant life and create a feature in your garden, a dipping tank could be a better fit.
With the right planting, a dipping tank can become an attractive feature in its own right and double up as a garden pond - adding another dimension to the garden while quietly doing a very useful job.
When it comes to watering, it's just a case of dipping your watering can in - hence the name!
Make your water storage work harder
Once you've started collecting rainwater, it's worth thinking about how much you could potentially capture.
A single downpipe isn't necessarily your only option. Larger gardens may benefit from connecting multiple water butts or collecting water from different roof areas.
You don't need to transform your garden into a miniature reservoir overnight. Start with what works for your space and build from there. Even one water butt means you're making better use of the rain that falls on your home.
The benefits of collecting rainwater go beyond preparing for another exceptionally hot summer. Using stored rainwater can reduce your reliance on mains water for gardening throughout the year. It also means that when we do get those typically British periods of heavy rainfall, you have somewhere for at least some of it to go.
With changing weather patterns bringing increasingly unpredictable conditions, making better use of the water we already have is a sensible habit to get into. Plus, let's be honest, there's something rather satisfying about watering your garden with rain that fell on your own roof.