Saving Water
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Water is a finite resource and correct water use in the garden is vitally important to help reduce its waste. You can do your bit by:
- Using a mulch on the garden to help keep the ground moist and reduce evaporation
- Using water retaining products in pots and hanging baskets
- Not watering established trees, shrubs or lawns – they just don’t need it
- Watering plants directly around the roots
- Collecting rainwater from down pipes and guttering for watering the garden
- Only watering new lawns for around four weeks – established lawns don’t need
Water Voles can occur on almost any slow moving watercourse or still waters on the British mainland with constant water levels. They are herbivores and need rich emergent vegetation for their diet and dense vegetation to hide from predators. They will eat a wide range of aquatic and water plants, 227 species have been found in their diet. Water voles may also weave nests above ground from rushes and sedge within tall vegetation rather than burrow into the banks of a stream or river.
Plants found in their habitat include reed, sedges, water forget me not, tussock sedge, water mint and flag iris.
These plants are indicator species for good water vole habitat.
More info on plants at British Wild Flower Plants www.wildflowers.co.uk/
More info on water-use at www.waterinthesoutheast.com
Water in the South East is a partnership of water companies in the South East of England (Folkestone & Dover Water, Mid Kent Water, Portsmouth Water, South East Water, Southern Water, Sutton & East Surrey Water, Three Valleys Water) along with the Environment Agency, Consumer Council for Water and Waterwise. The partnership aims to raise the profile of sustainable water management and water use within the South East of England. It recognises that gardeners across the UK have an important role in developing and maintaining wildlife habitats and corridors and is keen to promote beautiful gardens that are not dependent upon the use of large quantities of top quality tap water.