California Gardening: What are you doing about California's water situation?, 1 by SingingWolf

SingingWolf wrote:
Oh, you made me giggle, Wifeygirl. Yep, sounds like you divined my evil plan. I am already encroaching on DH's remaining lawn. (Evil smile on my face.) I did ask if I could use a hard to mow area around the bell post to plant a climbing Thunbergia. He agreed, so them seedlings are going in. To be fair, though, during the years when our kids were young, they and all their friends did enjoy having the lawn to play on. It's something you may find in the future to be true, when DH is working and the kids have grown and gone, you can always use the excuse that you need to nurture something and the plants is what you got. :-)
Is there some way you can rig up a hose and let the gravity carry your water for you? I worry now that you've told me about your steep stairs. :-o A stretch of old fire hose, a piece of pvc pipe that runs into a barrel downstairs would save your arms, and your back a lot of work. Then you could just pour your buckets into the hose/pipe out of an upstairs window, and not have to work as hard. PVC Pipe is probably the best way to go. They have a plumbing size that would be easy to use. You might need to attach the pipe to the building for support. I bet you could cut down a milk carton, and put it on the top of the pipe to create a funnel. That should help with the spillage. It'll probably take two pieces of the PVC to go the two stories. Honey, save your back, and put in some 'Gray Water Plumbing'. :-)
jkom, I was speechless when I saw your gardens. I can only hope to aspire to achieve what you have. Simply beautiful. Can we ask you for advice?
Since I'm getting older and stiffer, I am trying hard to not plant things on the ground. I'm for the most part switching to pots and raised planters. I've got a strawberry planter I've been working on for at least a year and a day. Will send a photo. It still needs to be tweaked, since the thing is leaning. I haven't planted the two long planters yet, because I wanted to find a rubber spacer to put between the gutter planter and the wood. DH found me something to use, and I hope to get her finished this week.
Oh my, if you look at the photo you can see the bare ground, the black plastic I cover it with to prevent weeds, and in the back hooked up to an unused drip line is a milk carton. When the auto waterer turns on, it collects the unused water so I don't waste it. I'm redoing a lot of the gh this spring. Last year it was invaded with grass and I had to rip out most of my beautiful gh dichondra. What I have left is in a flat, I hope to use the water dripping from the strawberries to water it. :-)
One last comment, Wifeygirl. Or maybe a suggestion. Anyway, take DH, and go for a trip out in the country. Lots of farms up your way. Take a good hard look at some of them working farms. See what kind of lawns they have. Most farmers are kind of busy, and the lawn isn't their highest priority. Unless it's a really old place with a multi-generation family living there, there won't be much lawn. Even then, it's usually smaller.
Personally, if you have to have a lawn, go with the artificial. Looks good if you do it right, way low maintenance. Best of all, no pollen. I really hate artificial plants, but there are exceptions.
I was rereading this and realized I can improve my water conservation by using an auto fountain for watering the critters. Will have to do some research. Thanks for the idea!
WIB~
SW