Water-Wise Gardening: Growing More with Less in Australian Conditions

Australia's Water ChallengeAustralia is the world's driest inhabited continent, yet Australian gardens use more water per household than almost anywhere else in the world. The disconnect comes from garden designs borrowed from wetter climates — lawns demanding constant irrigation, shallow-rooted plants that wilt in summer heat, and overhead sprinkler systems that evaporate 30 to 50% of water before it reaches plant roots. Water-wise gardening does not mean sacrificing beauty or productivity; i…