It's been raining here for quite a few days - pouring with rain actually. It is, afterall, June in Alberta - the heavens open and begin to empty all over us.
And the reason for a mini-rant post this week is because I don't feel inclined or able to produce a nice, pretty SkyWatch Friday post - there's nowt out there but grey soggyness! My camera lens protesteth too much.
But the rain is not the cause of my mini rant. I don't mind it really - the garden needs it, the landscape needs it, the low-level rivers need it and how can we go white-water rafting later in the year, if the snow and rain don't all culminate downriver in July?!
And my local water supply needs it. So rain clouds - you have my gracious permission to fall for a few more days, then you must head off back to the UK or Vancouver or Seattle because they will be missing you by now.
I live in an area that is naturally pretty dry - sure we get some snow - but hardly any rain. Maybe a few days in October and then June is usually pretty soggy.
So why has my neighbour got her bloody irrigation system going morning and evening?! Ooh, it makes me cross!
I assume she has set it with a timer - I am unimpressed each morning as I take the dogs around the block, dodging rain clouds and puddles, to see her front and back lawns receiving another 20 mins of clean, fresh water taken from our precious supplies. Aaaghhh!
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate a lush and spongy manicured lawn as well as the next person
In fact, I find my own lawn-care skills severely lacking and the dandelions are currently having an orgy in my back garden. It's disgraceful how quickly they can reproduce. Neighbours and bylaw-officers complain quickly if it gets out of hand - otherwise I kinda like their prolific bursts of yellow.
But the main reason I will never win the "poshest lawn in the street" award is that I don't really agree with irrigation systems blasting our precious resources all over the place, in pursuit of healthy blades of green-ness.
I'm happy to give my perennials a quick soak, or water my veggies and hanging baskets - but if you live in a place that is loathe to naturally water your garden for you, then I think you ought to try and work with what you've got.
So capture some water off your roof, divert your guttering to do the watering for you, plant some native stuff that happily grows where you live - and look up Xeriscaping on the internet.
Rain collectors, rain barrels, water butts - whatever you call them - come in all shapes and sizes now - I don't figure they will ever look truly attractive - how about one with a planter on the top?
DIY - paint your wagon?
Now this one is just butt ugly (geddit?) - but maybe you just go with a "needs must" approach (but does it have to be turquoise? subtle it ain't.)
My favourite, of course is this wee treasure - a simple water butt.
Mini rant over.
