GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's

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GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
South African Landscapers’ Institute & Rand Water’s

    GUIDE TO WATER
  WISE LANDSCAPING
                                                  2017
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
LANDSCAPING
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                 years of scientific and professional, environmental experience is underpinned
                 by what we refer to as ‘functional restoration,’ a holistic, efficient and cost
                 effective model that solves the problems surrounding excess water
                 consumption, additive usage, storm water management, erosion, waste
                 management and habitat destruction.

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GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
The future of Water                                                                             CONTENTS
Wise landscaping                                                                                   2 Footprint of supply

                                                                                                   3 Water Wise living
Drought, a word that has appeared more frequently in our conversations of late. To
ignore the reality about the changes to our climate would be like shooting ourselves               4 Landscaping for climate change
in the foot.
                                                                                                   6 Expect intense weather
    Water and the availability of water is the heartbeat of climate change. Understanding,
respecting and preserving this resource is of vital importance because it effects our              7 Surviving droughts
planning, it affects our ability run our business and business operations, which all have
                                                                                                   9 Eight Water Wise principles
major financial implications. Not to mention our environment, ecosystems and ultimately
all life on earth is dependent on this resource for survival. All water resources used in        10 1 – Water Wise design
and to maintain landscapes must therefore be used sparingly and with utmost care.
                                                                                                 11 2 – Planting in zones
    Acknowledging this, Rand Water and SALI have collaborated to produce this
Guide to Water Wise Landscaping which will take you on a journey to understand                   12 3 – Create practical turf zones
some of the complexities associated with supplying potable drinking water and how
                                                                                                 14 4 – Protect your soil
climate change could affect this supply in the future.
    We then go on to elaborate on practical water wise principles that can be                    17 5 – Efficient irrigation
implemented to help reduce water use (from any source) in the landscape. By
                                                                                                 20 6 – Water harvesting strategies
adapting landscapes to reduce their need on water, the landscaping industry can
make a substantial contribution to reducing demand on water resources.                           22 7 – Water and invasive species
    SALI together with Rand Water has for the first time modified the criteria for the
                                                                                                 24 8 – Maintaining Water Wise landscapes
SALI Awards of Excellence to include a Water Wise element in each category of
the awards. This shift in mind-set creates a platform to celebrate different types of            26 Promoting professionalism in landscaping
landscapes for the value they add in various water conservation principles. Finally the
                                                                                                 27 National Awards
latter part of the guide showcases this.
    With such achievements in one of the worst droughts faced by South Africans, we              28 SALI Shield winner
hope that this guide will inspire anyone who engages in a landscaped environment to
                                                                                                 30 Ten trophy winners
appreciate it and to be Water Wise.
                                                                                                 33 Awards – Environmental landscaping
Meagan Donnelly & Leslie Hoy
                                                                                                 34 Awards – In-house design

                                                                                                 36 Awards – Design by others
Editorial Team
                                                                                                 39 Awards - Turf construction
Rand Water Editors: Leslie Hoy and Meagan Donnelly
Consultant Editors: Dez Whitehead, Kay Montgomery, Sikhululekile Solwandle                       40 Awards - Maintenance
Design and Layout: Gerda Cotty                                                                   43 Awards - Specialised landscape construction
Website: www.randwater.co.za | www.sali.co.za
                                                                                                 47 SALI Listings
This publication is a joint venture between Rand Water and the South African
Landscapers’ Institute (SALI) 2017.

Cover: Water Wise and eco-friendly landscaping. Designed                           conditions, these obstacles have been overcome by the correct
and implemented by DDS Landscaping, the project known                              use of plants and their suitability for the site.
                              as Veld Garden, Robertson                              The speed in which the plants have grown can only attest to
                              received the Trophy for                              the high degree of soil preparation done prior to planting. Proper
                              the Best Environmental                               soil preparation addresses two main issues. The first deals with
                              Landscape Work at the 2017                           ensuring the adequate supply of nutrients that will allow your
                              South African Landscaper’s                           plants to grow. The second pertains to creating a soil structure
                              Institute Awards of                                  that allows your plants to properly obtain and uptake those
                              Excellence.                                          nutrients.
                                 “In this 7 590 square metre                         DDS Landscaping had to contend with game grazing newly
                              garden overlooking a game                            planted grass plugs as well as finding out that the planting
                              farm, DDS Landscaping                                of certain grass species before the winter months was not
                              has managed to achieve                               successful.
                              the brief of the client ‘to                            It is only through lessons like this that are learnt and corrected
                              rehabilitate the surrounding                         a contractor can learn and implement corrective changes to
                              veld into the garden’. In an                         enhance the sustainability of the garden design. The planting
                              area of the Little Karoo that                        palette makes use of interesting Eragrostis and Helichrysum
                              is renowned for its poor soil                        species that are not traditionally used on landscape sites”. -
                              and huge variations in climatic                      SALI National Judge.
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
Guide to Water W ise Landscaping

                                                                                                   Footprint
                                                                                                                          of supply
                                                                                                                                     Rand Water is at the forefront of supplying potable
                                                                                                                                     water to over 16 million people.
                                                                        Pic: Lukas Otto.

    The 54.2 metre high wall of the Vaal Dam was completed in 1938.
                                                                                                   W        ater has always been a scarce
                                                                                                            resource on the Witwatersrand
                                                                                                   as the goldfields of Johannesburg were
                                                                                                                                                      • The availability of water from the
                                                                                                                                                        Tugela-Vaal system made it possible for
                                                                                                                                                        Rand Water to maintain restricted, but
                                                                                                   established 70km from the nearest river in           adequate, water supplies to consumers
                                                                                                   1886. To this day, Johannesburg remains              during major droughts (1983-1987 &
                                                                                                   the only major city in the world that is not         1994-1996 & 2015-2016).
                                                                                                   built on a river or lake.
                                                                                                                                                       Water from Lesotho
                                                                                                   Supplying potable water to Gauteng                 • The Lesotho Highlands Water Project
                                                                                                   evolved over many years.                             (LHWP) also transfers water to the Vaal
                                                                                                   • On 8 May 1903, The Rand Water Board                Dam.
                                                                                                      was officially established by the Rand          • The project comprises six dams and
                                                                                                      Water Board Incorporation Ordinance               three pumping stations. It diverts
                                                                                                      No. 32 of May 1903 to supply water to             the flow of the Orange River via
                                                                                                      Johannesburg.                                     tunnels through the Maluti Mountains,
                                                                                                   • The 1903 Rand Water Board included                 channelling the water to the Eastern Free
                                                                                                      members of the Johannesburg Town                  State, and then on to the Vaal Dam.
                                                                                                      Council, The Chamber of Mines, and              • Phase I of the LHWP was completed
                                                                                                      other existing local authorities in the           in 1998. Phase II is scheduled for
                                                                                                      Witwatersrand.                                    completion in 2025.
                                                                                                   • To augment the supply of water from
                                                                                                      the early boreholes and reservoirs,              Water footprint
                                                                                                      Rand Water embarked on large water              • Today Rand Water provides bulk
                                                                                                      engineering projects.                             potable water to a service area of over
                                                                                                   • In 1914, the Board adopted the Vaal                20 000km².
                                                                                                      Development Scheme (1914–1924),                 • The ‘Rand Water Gauteng’ supply
                                                                                                      which involved the construction of                footprint ranges from Rustenburg
                                                                                                      the Vaal Barrage and the provision                and Carletonville in the North West
                                                                                                      of purification and pumping works in              Province to Sasolburg and Heilbron
                                                                                                      Vereeniging.                                      in the Free State. ‘Rand Water
                                                                        Pic: Lukas Otto.

                                                                                                   • This was followed by the building of the           Mpumalanga’ operates as far east as
                                                                                                      Zwartkopjes Pumping Station and Vaal              Bushbuckridge, with water supplied
    Tourist attraction. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project transfers
    water to the Vaal Dam.                                                                            Dam (1938) and Zuikerbosch Pumping                from various sources in Mpumalanga
                                                                                                      Station (1949).                                   supplying over 1 million people.
                                                                                                   • The Tugela-Vaal scheme (1974)                    • More than 15 million people live in the
                                                                                                      fed water into the Vaal River via an              ‘Rand Water Gauteng’ footprint and
                                                                                                      inter-basin transfer of water from the            over half of South Africa’s economic
                                                                                                      Tugela River in KwaZulu-Natal. Water              activity takes place within it.
                                                                                                      continues to be released into the Vaal          • Rand Water is the largest bulk water
                                                                                                      River system from the Sterkfontein Dam            utility in Africa and is one of the largest
                                                                                                      via the Nuwejaar Spruit and Wilge River.          in the world.

                                                                                                     What is potable water?
                                                                                                     Potable water is water from natural sources that has undergone costly
                                                                        Pic: Loren Shirley-Carr.

                                                                                                     purification processes to render it safe to drink. Delivered through a complex
                                                                                                     system of pipes and reservoirs, it is often referred to as municipal water.
    Water is a precious resource.

                                                                        “Water conservation is destined to be an inevitable part of everyday life”.
2                                                                                                                    - Leslie Hoy, Rand Water
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
Guide to Water W ise Landscaping

Water Wise living
       In our water-stressed country, a Water Wise                               A history of honouring water wise
       campaign to value water and use it wisely has
       been essential.
                                                                                         landscape design

H
                                                                                    Rand Water Trophy for the Best Water Wise Project at
       ow has Rand Water                 school and community                      the South African Landscape Institute Annual Awards of
       been involved in                  vegetable gardens, rural                                  Excellence (2013-2016).
promoting Water Wise                     community education and
concepts?                                a Water Wise campaign to
• During the drought of 1994,            businesses, industry, the
   Rand Water launched a                 public (of all LSM levels) as
   Horticultural Forum as                well as to all sectors of the
   part of their campaign to             green industries.
   highlight the importance of         • Following international
   Water Wise landscapes and             trends, the Environmental
   low water landscaping.                Management Services of
• The aim was to promote                 Rand Water has become
   processes which assisted              increasingly interested in
   in the development of low             quantifying the amount                   2013: Life Landscapes for Alexander Forbes, Sandton.
   water landscapes that                 of potable water used in
   use water effectively and             landscapes.
   efficiently.                        • This pioneering work is
• In 1995, Rand Water                    a valuable foundation to
   initiated a water                     Water Wise landscaping
   conservation campaign                 campaign.
   using ‘Manzi’ the mascot.           • Water Wise landscapes
• In 1997, the Water Wise                and landscape design are
   brand was launched.                   honoured by Rand Water
• During the next two                    through trophies presented
   decades, Rand Water                   at garden centre shows and
                                                                                  2014: Cape Contours for the Mitchells Plain Hospital, Cape Town.
   launched numerous Water               in the green industries over
   Wise campaigns aimed at               many years.
   increasing awareness of the
   need to value water and to           Water Wise in action
   use it wisely.                      Rand Water have developed
• Campaigns over the years             four educational Water Wise
   have included Water Wise            demonstration gardens.
   guides to landscaping               • Delta Environmental
   and golf courses, plants               Centre Water Wise garden
   for bees and butterflies,              (1998).
   developing food gardens,            • Water Wise House at
   firescaping your property,             Rand Water’s Vereeniging
   removing waterholic                    Purification Station is used            2015: Life Landscapes for Rooibergkrans Private Game Lodge, Bela Bela.
   invasive species, zoning               purely for school group
   your garden, water features,           education (2003).
   wetlands and many more.             • Water Wise garden at the
• The Three Drop Water                    Walter Sisulu National
   Wise Guide divides plant               Botanical Gardens (2011).
   species into low, medium            • Water Wise garden at the
   and high water users. It               Pretoria National Botanical
   is especially useful for               Gardens (PNBG) (2014)
   developing hydro-zoned
   landscapes.                         For more information
• Water Wise has increased             about the campaign visit
   its education footprint to          www.randwater.co.za and                    2016: Life Landscapes and Real Green (Joint Venture) for Sun City.
   include, amongst others,            click on the Water Wise logo.

                                  “South Africa needs to plan for periods of drought and manage water availability
                                           and accessibility carefully”. - Candice McKechnie, eNCA meteorologist.                                          3
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
Water and climate change

    Landscaping
    for climate change
                                 Green buildings are increasingly incorporating a range
                                 of living walls and roofs.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                Pic: Carol Knoll.
    Double Gold Award 2017. A living wall at Rosebank Corner, Johannesburg installed by Life Landscapes.     A two storey high living wall at Netcare, Pinehaven installed by Bidvest Top Turf.

    W         ater is the primary medium through which
              climate change impacts will be felt by
    humans and the environment.
        Whilst governments grapple with the climate
    change commitments arising from the Kyoto
    Protocol (1997) and Paris Agreement (2016), local
    organisations are developing monitoring tools
    and quality assurance platforms for the new low
    carbon economy.
        For landscapers, the climate change movement
    to reduce energy in green buildings, quantify
    water use in landscaping and develop landscapes
    that are in harmony with nature is gathering. The
    most notable responses locally can be seen in
    three ways.
                                                                                       Greening a parkade at 4 Stan Road, Sandton. Bertha          An entire building, The Grand in Rivonia, Johannesburg was
                                                                                       Wium Landscape Development.                                 covered with living walls by Servest Landscaping.
    Quantifying water use in landscapes
    Landscapers are tapping into apps, calculators
    and resources to offer clients the option to
    scientifically monitor the amount of water used in
    landscape projects.
        There are a range of water scoring solutions
    for doing this supplied by Water Footprint, Carbon
    Disclosure Project, Audubon International and
    Green Building Council of South Africa (GBCSA).
    The efficient use of water on the green building
    site accounts for just over 15% of the scoring in
    the GBCSA ‘Green Star’ rating system.

    Installing living walls
    Vertical gardens or biowalls can be grown on just
    about any type of wall, with or without the use of                                 A living wall becomes eco-signage at the Entertainment Centre, Sun City.

                                                          “Learn from what grows naturally in your area. Select plants from your local veld
4                                                                               type”. – Marijke Honig, plant ecologist.
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
Water and climate change

soil. They can be placed both on outdoor                            - 4 Stan Road, Sandown, Sandton - is                                                   all the guest rooms at the boutique hotel,
and indoor walls.                                                   likely to evolve into a multi-storey bird                                              Forum Homini, Cradle of Humankind,
     Indoor vertical walls decorate atriums                         and eco-friendly living wall.                                                          west of Johannesburg.
such as award winning examples at
Netcare Pinehaven (2016 Gold Medal)                                   Creating living roofs                                                                Why are living roofs so successful?
Atrium on 5th (2016 Gold Medal) or                                  Most of the award winning roof gardens                                                 Planted up with Water Wise endemic
Rosebank Corner which received a                                    make use of Water Wise endemic                                                         flora in a thin layer of soil medium on the
Double Gold Medal Award in the 2017                                 grasses and succulents.                                                                roof of a building, living roofs beautify our
South African Landscapers’ Institute                                    Heimo Schulzer Gardens’ living roof                                                environment by:
Awards.                                                             garden in Higgovale, Cape Town was                                                     • Assisting a building to blend into their
     Outdoor living walls are used as                               honoured with a Double Gold Award in                                                       environment;
ecological signage as used at the                                   the 2017 SALI Awards.                                                                  • Stabilising the climate in a building;
Entertainment Centre, Sun City or cover                                 Other examples include the treed                                                   • Reducing heating and cooling costs;
entire buildings such as The Grand in                               roof of the parking area at Nelson                                                     • Reducing storm water run-off;
Rivonia, Johannesburg. Most recently,                               Mandela Square in Sandton, Grace Hotel                                                 • Filtering pollutants and carbon dioxide,
the planting of climbers in containers at                           in Rosebank, Life Sciences Faculty,                                                        out of the air;
all levels of a multi-storey car parkade at                         University of the Western Cape, library                                                • Increasing wildlife habitat in built-up
the certified ‘4 Green Star’ green building                         of Stellenbosch University, and roofs of                                                   urban areas.

GvH Landscapes planted up living roofs for the Spanish Farm Guest Lodge, Somerset West.

                                                                                                                        Capescapes planted up a living roof garden designed by OvP Associates at the Life Sciences
                                                                                                                        Faculty, University of the Western Cape.
                                                                                                    Pic: Carol Knoll.

                                                                                                                        Double Gold Award 2017. Heimo Schulzer Gardens’ grass roof at Higgovale Office Garden, Cape
An endemic grassland roof at Steyn City, Johannesburg landscaped by Golf Data.                                          Town.

  My favourite roof garden
  Botanist, landscaper and author, Marijke Honig was honoured for
  her exceptional contribution to landscaping in 2016. An expert in
  indigenous plants and the ecology of fynbos, Marijke’s favourite roof
  garden is one her team designed for the Department of Environmental
  Affairs and Planning in Dorp Street, Cape Town.

  Reflecting the endemic biomes of the Western Cape, the roof garden
  is designed as a Water Wise educational space. With a soil depth of
  30cm, the team packed a lot of biodiversity into a small roof garden.

  Source:
  Indigenous Plant Palettes: An essential guide to plant selection by Marijke Honig. Pg 128,                                                                              Water Wise roof garden, Dorp Street, Cape
  Quivertree Publications, 2014.                                                                                                  Marijke Honig.                          Town.

                                              “The secret to Water Wise landscaping is to know what vegetation region we live
                                                      in and to choose plant species which are suited to that region”.
                                                                                 – Ernst van Jaarsveld, Kirstenbosch.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      5
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
Water W ise landscaping and climate change

     Expect
    intense

                                                                                                                                                               Pic: Bruce Sutherland.
    weather                                    Desperate drought. The Theewaterskloof Dam which supplies water to Cape Town was down to 15% in May 2017.

          What does intense
        weather mean for the
       landscaping industry?

                                                                                                                                                               Pic: Courtesy of Simplysnap
    Crisis in Cape Town                        The Vaal Dam was only 30% full in November 2016.

    • In 2008, the City of Cape
      Town predicted future
      shortages of potable water.
    • By early 2017, the worst
      water crisis in living memory
                                             L     andscapers rely on water. How will
                                                   climate change affect the supply
                                              of water for landscaping projects across
                                                                                                                  practice. A City of Cape Town by-law (2006)
                                                                                                                  states:
                                                                                                                  • No watering of residential gardens
      had hit the City of Cape                southern Africa?                                                       between 10h00 and 16h00.
      Town.                                                                                                       • Hosepipes must be fitted with automatic
    • Fuelled by three winters of              What weather to expect?                                               self-closing devises.
      below-average rainfall, the             What are the implications of climate                                • No automatic top-up systems fed from
      city went to Level 4 water              change for South Africa?                                               a potable (drinking) water source may
      restrictions on 1 June 2017.            • There will be more ‘drier dry spells’                                be used to supply swimming pools and
    • Level 4 restrictions:                      and ‘wetter wet spells’ resulting in                                ponds.
      - Prohibit the use of                      intense floods and intense droughts.                             • No person may hose down a hard-
           municipal drinking water           • The arrival of intense floods may                                    surface or paved area using potable
           for gardens, landscaping,             relieve water shortages, but floods will                            water, without getting prior written notice
           water features or filling up          damage bridges and result in more                                   from Council.
           swimming pools.                       water-borne diseases.                                            • Potable water may not be used to
       - Golf courses, sports                 • Rivers, lakes and dams will be                                       damp building sand and other building
           facilities, parks, schools            impacted mainly by increasing                                       materials to stop them from being blown
           and learning institutions             variability in rainfall.                                            away.
           are not allowed to                 • The western side of South Africa will                             • The maximum flow rate from a tap
           establish new landscaping             become drier, impacting on agriculture.                             installed in a wash hand basin may not
           or sports fields, except if           The eastern side will have longer spells                            exceed 6 litres per minute.
           irrigated only with non-              of drought. Both sides however will                              • Toilet cisterns may not exceed 9.5 litres
           potable water.                        experience heavy rains when they do                                 in capacity.
       - Flushing toilets with                   occur.                                                           • No automatic cistern or tipping tank may
           non-potable water (e.g.            • It is predicted that there will be an                                be used for flushing a urinal.
           greywater or rainwater) is            increased number of people without                               • Major water users (using more than
           encouraged.                           access to sufficient fresh water. This                              3 650Kl per annum), excluding multiple
        - Residents are encouraged               will worsen food shortages.                                         dwellers’ units, must conduct an annual
           to use no more than                • Overall, water supplies will diminish in                             water audit.
           100 litres/person/day.                quantity and quality.                                            • Commercial car wash industries must
    • It is estimated that several                                                                                   recycle a minimum of 50% of the water
      years of good winter rainfall            Urban water efficiency                                                used in their operations.
      will be needed to reverse the           In anticipation of projected growth and                             • No person supplied with water in terms
      crisis.                                 water shortages, cities across South Africa                            of this by-law may sell such water without
                                              have passed by-laws to promote best                                    written permission or special agreement.

                                          “Creating a beautiful landscape with endemic plant material that survives on
                                                 natural rainfall is the Water Wise challenge of our generation”.
6                                                                 – Morne Faulhammer, SALI National Judge.
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
Landscaping for drought

Surviving droughts
                                                          Learning to identify drought-resistant plant material is
                                                          key to coping with drought.

“T       he drought of 2015/2016 is one
         of the biggest drought events
in living memory”, says Professor Bob
Scholes, Wits Global Change and
Sustainability Research Institute (Cape
Argus, 9 March 2016).
     What is the definition of drought? “If
a specific area in South Africa receives
less than 75 percent of its normal rainfall,
we consider that area to be experiencing
a meteorological drought” says Elsa de
Jager, South African Weather Service. “It
can be safely assumed that a shortfall of
20% from normal rainfall will cause crop
and water shortfalls in many regions,
accompanied by social and economic
hardship”, she says.                                  Water Wise winner. Servest Landscaping & Turf transformed a previously manicured garden at Meyersdal Eco Estate into a natural
                                                      endemic garden with no irrigation.

According to the South African Weather
Service:
• South Africa received the lowest
                                                         by evaporation. Example: ericas,
                                                         most acacias (Senegalia spp.),
                                                                                                                               Average provincial
   rainfall between January and                          rosemary, origanum and thyme.                                         annual rainfall
   December 2015 since the recording
   of rainfall began in 1904.
                                                     •   Grey foliage. Grey or blue-green
                                                         leaves reflects the sun’s rays away                                   in mm
• Since 1904, rainfall in all nine                       from the plant, thereby keeping the
   provinces has averaged 608mm                          plant cooler, reducing transpiration.                                 Eastern Cape                             552
   a year. During 2015, South Africa                     Examples: arctotis, honey flower                                      Free State                               532
   received an average of 403mm                          (Melianthus major), cancer bush                                       Gauteng                                  668
   (66 percent of the annual average).                   (Sutherlandia frutescens).                                            KwaZulu-Natal                            845
• Previously, the lowest rainfall                    •   Hairy leaves. Hairs surrounding the                                   Limpopo                                  527
   received in a year was in 1945                        stomata slow down air movement                                        Mpumalanga                               736
   when South Africa received 437mm                      past the stomata, thereby reducing                                    North West                               481
   (72% of annual average).                              water loss. Examples: silver tree                                     Northern Cape                            202
                                                         (Leucadendron argenteum), beach                                       Western Cape                             348
Planting for drought                                     salvia (Salvia africana-lutescens),
Water Wise landscaping is all about                      Buddleja spp.                                                     • Reduced size and number of leaves.
choosing drought-resistant plants that               •   Succulent leaves. Water is stored                                   Some plants reduce moisture loss by
are indigenous to regions with extremely                 in thick fleshly leaves to be available                             dispensing with leaves. Examples:
low rainfalls.                                           when necessary. Examples:                                           karee (Rhus lancea), Acacia spp.,
                                                         crassulas, aloes, echevaria, vygies.                                buffalo thorn (Ziziphus mucronata).
Look out for these characteristics which             •   Closing leaves. Leaves that close                                 • Plants with lighter colours on the
render plants extremely water-efficient.                 when water-stressed, reducing                                       undersides of their leaves. When
• Sturdy internal structures. Strong                     the number of stomata exposed                                       stressed, they turn the lighter side
   internal skeleton which supports the                  to sunlight to reduce transpiration.                                upwards to reflect the sun away.
   leaf, prevents wilting and enables                    Examples: Acacia spp., Jerusalem                                    Examples: gazania, wild olive,
   them to survive for longer periods                    sage (Phlomis fruticosa), rock rose                                 Buddleja spp.
   without water. Examples: strelitzia,                  (Cistus spp.).                                                    • Volatile oils in the stomata. An
   restios.                                          •   Waxy cuticle. A waxy leaf coating                                   extra protection against water loss,
• Leaf size and shape. Small or                          helps to prevent moisture loss.                                     they reduces water transpiration
   needle-like leaves that minimise the                  Examples: Euonymus spp.,                                            from the leaves. Examples: rosemary,
   surface area from which water is lost                 Kalanchoe spp., wild fig (Ficus spp.).                              lavender, thyme, sage, oreganum.

                                      Nearly 91% of South Africa falls within the United Nations’ definition of dry
                                    lands. These are extraordinarily dry areas where rainfall is low and evaporation
                                                                       rates high.
                                                                                                                                                                                       7
GUIDE TO WATER WISE LANDSCAPING - South African Landscapers' Institute & Rand Water's
Water W ise Landscaping

                   Eight
                      Water Wise principles
                                           Discover the eight basic principles underlying the art
                                           of Water Wise landscaping.

W         ater Wise landscaping is an approach
          to landscaping which applies eight
basic principles of water conservation.
Existing, transformed or traditional manicured
landscapes can also be altered to make
them Water Wise. The best time to convert
an existing landscape to one that is Water
Wise is when it needs a revamp. If building                                                                            Double Gold Award. Over 230 indigenous Highveld species were planted
alterations are to be carried out, this is also a                                                                      by Servest for the Birdlife SA garden in Saxonwold, Johannesburg.

good time to reassess the landscaping.
   For many landscapers, Water Wise
landscaping is inextricably linked to the
planting of regionally indigenous plants.
Adapted to the prevailing conditions, and
once established, an endemic Water Wise
garden not only reduces your water footprint,
but also contributes to environmental
conservation.
                                                       Bring the veld into my garden. DDS Landscaping received a       Choose plants correctly. Over 25 species of trees were sourced by
   South Africa has over 23 000 indigenous             Double Gold for Veld Garden, Robertson.                         Enviromental Studios for House Dix in Hilton, KwaZulu-Natal.
plants. “If you live in a bushveld environment,
it makes sense to establish a bushveld
landscape” says Ernst van Jaarsveld, a
past curator of the succulent collection at
Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens. “If
you are designing in the Western Cape create
a strandveld-fynbos landscape. If you are
landscaping on the Highveld, use the glorious
indigenous grasses of the area in your
project”, says van Jaarsveld.                          Rothe Plantscapers maintain a landscape that captures water at the African Leadership Academy, Roodepoort.

Eight Water Wise principles                              how much and how often to water                                    6. Harvest rainwater and reuse water.
Whether you choose to plant with local plants            through the seasons.                                                  Install a rainwater tank to capture
or not, there are eight basic principles to           3. Create practical turf areas of                                        harvested water off a roof, channel
Water Wise landscaping:                                  manageable sizes and shapes, and                                      water directly from downpipes or divert
1. Plan and design for water conservation                select appropriate grass types such                                   storm water into a pond. Terracing
   and beauty from the start. Design                     as hybrids of Cynodon dactylon and                                    sloping ground to create level areas of
   principles include scale, balance, interest,          Cynodon transvaalensis varieties rather                               soil is a way to harvest rainwater with
   harmony and continuity. Less obvious, but             than kikuyu. Shapes must be easy to                                   each terrace and prevent soil erosion.
   important design elements include creating            water using appropriate sprinklers.                                7. Remove invasive species. There
   shaded areas to help preserve moisture in          4. Use soil amendments such as compost,                                  are 379 listed invasive plants many
   the soil, planning windbreaks to prevent              manure and water retentive polymers.                                  of which are known to consume
   wind drying out the soil or designing                 To this end, use mulches, especially in                               large quantities of water and destroy
   a wetland as a reservoir for harvested                high and moderate watering zones.                                     habitats. Remove them from your
   rainwater.                                         5. Irrigate efficiently with properly                                    landscape.
2. Zone the landscape into different hydro               designed systems, and by applying the                              8. Maintain a landscape by not only
   zones (high, medium, low and no water)                right amount of water at the right time.                              mowing, pruning and fertilising
   and group plants according to their water             It is important to use separate stations                              correctly, but also by planning new
   usage.                                                for each distinct hydro zone and                                      plantings and habitats that could
       Make the low water usage zone as                  consider drip irrigation as an efficient                              dramatically increase the bird and
   large as possible. Thereafter, determine              water management system.                                              butterfly habitats.

                                   “Long thought of as ‘granny plants’, succulents have finally become fashionable
                                      as landscapers appreciate their stylish forms and drought-tough nature”.
                                                                      – Neville Passmore.
                                                                                                                                                                                              9
Water W ise design

                                                                       Design and
                                                                       planning
                                                                                       Five tips for planning and designing Water Wise landscapes.

     World-class planning. Swales and berms at the Nelson Mandela
     Children’s Hospital, planted up by Life Landscapes, channel
     water from parking areas into a large border.                  GvH Landscapes uses containers to plant up a glamorous living roof for House Harris.

     D
     -
             esign the landscape with the end
             goals in mind. These goals should be:
         Meeting the user/customer/client
                                                                      zone, cover 30-60% of the landscape,
                                                                      the medium water usage 2-drop zone
                                                                      cover 20-40%, and the high water
                                                                                                                                           Tip 4:
                                                                                                                                           Capture the rain
                                                                                                                                          • Plan to capture rainwater by designing
         requirements.                                                usage 3-drop zone as small as possible                                channels, berms, water features, rain
     -   Complying to basic landscape design                          covering only 10-20% of the landscape.                                tanks and permeable paving into your
         principles.                                                • Reduce lawn areas. Replace with                                       design.
     -   Designing for and mitigating local                           permeable paving, gravel or low water                               • Identify the source of fallen rain water
         environmental and climatic conditions                        usage, 1-drop ground covers. Design                                   (roof, gutters, paving or the street).
         to enhance the site.                                         the irrigation system with suitable                                 • Decide where the rain water must go
     -   Designing with the aim of reduced water                      technology to match each hydro zone.                                  (rain tank, wetland, seasonal bog or
         use and increased reuse (being Water                                                                                               water feature).
         Wise).                                                      Tip 2:                                                               • Design features (berms, swales,
     -   Ensuring that maintenance of site,
         irrigation and hard landscaping features                    Site hydro zones for convenience                                       wetlands, dry river beds or paving) to
                                                                    • Place high water usage zones close to                                 direct rain water.
         can be accommodated.                                                                                                             • Plan to retain the water on your property
     -   Clever selective plant choice suited to the                  the house where colourful annuals can
                                                                      be grouped for impact and watering will                               by installing permeable paving, terraces
         environment and selected hydro zones.                                                                                              or wetlands. Site a rain water tank near
     -   The design should make                                       be easier during dry spells.
                                                                    • Situate the low water usage zones                                     gutters to collect water from the roof.
         accommodation for aspects such as
         practical functionalities, soil preparation,                 around the perimeter.
         irrigation, water harvesting, removal of                                                                                          Tip 5:
         alien plants and maintenance as will be                     Tip 3:                                                                Make use of containers
         discussed in the following sections.                        Prepare your soil                                                    • Containers lose less water than the soil and
                                                                    Soil preparation is the key to a Water                                  can be watered with harvested rain water.
     Tip 1:                                                         Wise landscape.                                                       • High water usage, 3-drop plants can
     Design in hydro zones                                          • Compost. Raising the organic matter in                                be planted in containers near a patio or
     An important design principle in a Water                          soil will increase the moisture retention                            entrance.
     Wise landscape is to group plants with                            in the soil.                                                       • To reduce water loss, group patio
     similar water requirements together,                           • Mulch. Place a thick layer of organic                                 container plants together. The foliage
     in different areas. Slowly transform an                           mulch such as compost, grass cuttings,                               creates a canopy to help shade the soil
     existing garden into hydro zones or plan a                        pine needles, chopped bark, peach                                    and keep it cool.
     new garden from scratch with hydro zones.                         pips, straw manure or autumn leaves                                • Fill containers with potting soil that
     • Map out where the hydro zones will be                           across the soil. As they break down,                                 drains well and is high in organic matter.
         in your landscape, taking into account                        they enrich the soil. Replace organic                              • Add water-retaining polymer granules to
         the water needs of existing trees and                         mulches regularly. Inorganic mulches                                 the potting soil.
         large shrubs.                                                 such as gravel, pebbles and stone chips                            • Larger pots are better at water use than
     • Make the low water usage, 1-drop                                also help to retain moisture in the soil.                            smaller pots.

                                                         Water sensitive development involves simple design and management practices
                                                         that take advantage of natural site features and minimize negative impacts on
10                                                                                      the water cycle.
Planting in zones

Planting for hydro zones
       Group plants with similar water requirements in different zones of
       your landscape.

W         ater-wise hydro zoning
          encompasses planting and
landscaping concepts. Ultimately, the aim
                                                         and succulent species will thrive in
                                                         this zone.
                                                                                                              Vezimvelo used Water Wise lavender for the Pinehurst project.

                                                                                                               covering 20-40% of the landscape.
is for gardeners to learn the water needs of          1-drop plant zone - Low water usage                    • Once established, they do not need
different plants and group them in zones in          • 1-drop plants originate from regions with               watering, except during very hot dry
the garden.                                            between 300-500mm rainfall per year.                    spells.
                                                     • Make this hydro zone the largest,
No-water zone                                          covering from 30-80% of the landscape.                 3-drop plant zone - High water usage
• Make this hydro zone 10-30% of the                 • All succulents are ‘one drop’ plants and              • 3-drop plants originate in regions with
  landscape.                                           need no extra water.                                    between 750mm and 1000mm rainfall per
• Plants in this zone come from areas with                                                                     year.
  less than 300mm of rainfall per year.               2-drop plant zone - Moderate water usage               • Keep this hydro zone as small as possible,
• Lay permeable rather than non-permeable            • 2-drop plants originate in regions with                 covering 10-20% of the landscape.
  paving where-ever possible in this zone.             between 500-750mm rainfall per year.                  • Once established they need regular
• Established local indigenous trees, shrubs         • Keep this hydro zone relatively small,                  watering throughout the year.

  Water Wise guide to plants                                      Leslie Hoy (Rand Water) developed the 3-drop system to guide the choice of correct
                                                                  plants for each of the three hydro zones by analysing extensive databases.

  1-drop plants                         Pelargonium (Pelargonium                White stinkwood (Celtis africana)          Climbers
 Group these 1-drop plants together:    peltatum)                               Wild plum (Harpephyllum caffrum)           Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia
                                        Pink gaura (gaura lindheimeri)                                                     alata)
 Trees                                  Plectranthus ‘Mona Lavender’            Shrubs                                     Brazilian jasmine (Mandevilla
 All aloes                              Red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)        Beach sage (Salvia africana-               sanderi)
 Baobab (Adansonia digitata)            Silver arctotis (Arctotis venusta)      lutescens)                                 Clematis
 Camel thorn (Acacia erioloba)          Stalked bulbine (Bulbine frutescens)    Bush violet (Barleria obtusa)              Climbing roses
 Common cabbage tree (Cussonia          Trailing ice plant (Lampranthus         Camellia
 paniculata)                            spectabilis)                            Confetti bush (Coleonema                   Groundcovers
 Hook thorn (Acacia caffra)                                                     pulchrum)                                  Carpet geranium (Geranium
 Karee (Searsia lancea)                 Groundcovers                            Crane flower (Strelitzia regina)           incanum)
 Monkey thorn (Acacia galpinii)         Lambs ear (Stachys byzantina)           Golden daisy (Euryops pectinatus)          Erigeron daisy (Erigeron
 Pompon tree (Dais cotinifolia)         Snow-in-summer (Cerastium               Hibiscus                                   karvinskianus)
 Sweet thorn (Acacia karroo)            tomentosum)                             Honeyball bush (Freylinia tropica)         Mondo grass (Ophiopogon
 Tree aloe (Aloe bainesii)              Sour fig (Carpobrotus deliciosus)       Num-num (Carissa macrocarpa)               japonicus)
 Wild olive (Olea europaea subsp.       Vygies (Mesembryanthemum spp.)          Plumbago (Plumbago auriculata)
 africana)                                                                      Pride-of-De-Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii)        3-drop plants
                                        Climbers                                                                           Group these 2-drop plants together:
 Shrubs                                 Star jasmine (Trachylospermum           Perennials
 Aloe (all species)                     jasminoides)                            Agapanthus (Agapanthus praecox)            Trees
 Bougainvillea                                                                  Asparagus fern (Protasparagus              Flowering cherry trees (Prunus spp.)
 Cape Honeysuckle (Tecomaria             2-drop plants                          densiflorus)                               Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
 capensis)                              Group these 2-drop plants together:     Blue statice (Limonium perezzi)            Swamp cypress (Taxodium
 Gold dust plant (Aucuba japonica)                                              Cape thatching reed                        distichum)
 Lavender (Lavendula angustifolia)      Trees                                   (Chondropetalum tectorum)                  White pear (Apodytes dimidiata)
 Lion’s ear (Leonotus leonurus)         Boerbean (Schotia brachypetala)         Daylilies (Hemerocallis cultivars)
 Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)      Buffalo thorn (Ziziphus mucronata)      Fairy crassula (Crassula multicava)        Shrubs
 Sacred bamboo (Nandina domestica)      Bushwillow (Combretum zeyheri)          Gazania (Gazania uniflora)                 Azalea
 White bauhinia (Bauhinia natalensis)   Coastal silver oak (Brachylaena         Hen & chicken (Chlorophytum                Tree fuchsia (Halleria lucida)
 Wormwood (Artemisia afra)              discolor)                               comosus)
                                        Coral tree (Erythrina lysistemon)       Honey marguerite (Euryops                  Perennials
 Perennials                             Highveld cabbage tree (Cussonia         virgineus)                                 Baby’s tears (Soleirolia
 Cone flower (Echinacea purpurea)       spicata)                                Kingfisher daisy (Felicia amelloides)      soleirolii)
 Heartleaf iceplant (Aptenia            Kei apple (Dovyalis caffra)             Red hot poker (Kniphofia praecox)          Falling stars (Crocosmia aurea)
 cordifolia)                            Lavender tree (Heteropyxis              Wild garlic (Tulbaghia violacea)           White arum (Zantedeschia
 Honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida)          natalensis)                             Wild iris (Dietes grandiflora)             aethiopica)

                                    The key design principle of a Water Wise landscape is to group plants with similar
                                                          water requirements in the same area.                                                                                11
Create practical turf zones

     Plants for golf courses
             Discover how plants can improve water conservation
             on golf courses.

     B     est management practices
           for water conservation can be
     described as the combination of proper
                                                              planted up with
                                                              indigenous
                                                              Cynodon
     plant selection and cultural maintenance                 transvaalensis
     practices that provide adequate turf                     ‘Gulf Green’.
     quality for the game of golf. Plant                                                    Golf Data planted up the Leopard Creek Country Club practice facility with indigenous
                                                                                            Cynodon grasses and makes use of natural areas.
     choice is critical for the out of play areas         • Remove invasive
     (low water usage plants), the fairways                 species. Replace
     (medium water usage areas), as well                    waterholic
     as greens and tees (high water usage                   invasive trees
     areas).                                                with indigenous
                                                            trees from the
     • Use low water turf grasses. Select                   region. Superb
       and install drought-resistant turf                   examples of golf
       grass. Use species adapted to the                    courses who
       rainfall of the local area. For example,             have succeeded
       replace waterholic kikuyu with                       in a monumental
       Cynodon varieties which are best                     endeavour to
       adapted to the local environmental                   remove over 600                 Buffer zones with natural vegetation have been defined by Servest around the dams at the
       conditions and need less water.                      tonnes of invasive              Eye of Africa Golf and Lifestyle Estate in Eikenhof, Johannesburg.

            Cyndodon varieties were chosen                  biomass from their
       for the Leopard Creek Country Club                   courses are Mossel
       practice facility by Golf Data and the               Bay Golf Course
       Eye of Africa Golf Course by Servest.                and Plettenberg
       Cynodon dactylon was also used                       Bay Country Club.
       at Blair Atholl golf course in 2012.
       The course uses 700 000 - 1 million                • Establish planted
       litres a day, whereas kikuyu over the                buffer zones.
       equivalent fairway area would need                   Maintain herbicide,
       2-2.5 million litres a day.1                         fungicide,
                                                            pesticide and              Low water usage indigenous coastal forest has been preserved in the rough at Zimbali
     • Increase the size of natural                         fertiliser-free buffer     Country Club and Golf Course in KwaZulu-Natal.

       vegetation areas. Embark on a                        zones around all
       programme to plant up all out-of-                    surface water, including wetlands                             cleans water moving through the site.
       play areas with low water usage                      and dams. Transition zones grasses                            It can also offer habitats for wildlife
       plants. This includes the clubhouse                  that receive no fertilisers act as buffer                     and plant species. River Club Golf
       and parking areas. Reduce the                        or filter strips to remove nutrients                          Club in Sandton successfully planted
       quantity of turf grass on a course                   from excess fertilisation in run-off                          up and maintain Phragmites australis
       by increasing the size of natural                    before it reaches the water source.                           and Typha capensis alongside a dam
       vegetation areas. Links-style golf                   Buffer zones also help to reduce the                          on the course. The plants provide
       courses use the Water Wise principle                 chance of pesticide drift, run-off and                        nesting sites for the red bishop and
       of hydro zoning.                                     leaching into sensitive wetland areas.                        help to filter the water as it passes
           The Atlantic Beach Golf Club                     A 15m wide buffer zone alongside                              through the dams and watercourses
       situated on the West Coast at                        watercourses or other bodies of                               on the River Club course.
       Melkbosstrand near Cape Town                           water is recommended as a minimum
                                                                                                                            Sources:
       is not only a link-style golf club                     width.2                                                       1
                                                                                                                                Rand Water Water Wise Guide to Golf Courses,
       that was designed around the                                                                                             2013. www.randwater.co.za
       endangered fynbos vegetation,                      • Use plants to clean water. A golf                               2
                                                                                                                                Best management practices for golf courses.
       but the tees and fairways are                        course can be a green lung that                                     Environmental Institute for Golf, 2012. www.eifg.org.

                                                Golf courses and the environment co-exist in nature. It is our obligation to
                                              develop them responsibly and to preserve the natural habitat for the beauty of
12                                                                      the game”. – Greg Norman.
Create practical turf zones

Improve
turf irrigation
         Five tips and tools needed for improving
         turf irrigation on a golf course.                                                        Servest’s turf project at the Eye of Africa Golf and Lifestyle Estate included an entire audit of the
                                                                                                  irrigation system.

A      typical golf course irrigation
       system is likely to have in excess
of 500 irrigation heads, kilometres of in-
                                                                       says Patrick O’Brian1. Compaction
                                                                       destroys soil structure, impairs rooting,
                                                                       and increases surface water runoff
                                                                                                                                                volumetric water content of the soil.
                                                                                                                                                They can be used to stretch the
                                                                                                                                                intervals between irrigation and can
ground wiring, a network of underground                                because soil is less able to accept                                      assist in scheduling a Water Wise
pipes, a powerful pumping station,                                     water. Consequently, compacted soils                                     irrigation programme with greater
and a control system that enables turf                                 require more irrigation. Studies by                                      confidence and accuracy. Irrigation
managers to control when, where, and                                   Dr. Robert Carrow at the University                                      controllers linked to off-site weather
how much water is applied.                                             of Georgia1 have shown that aerating                                     equipment will also assist in reducing
                                                                       with heavy-duty slicing tines or blades                                  unnecessary watering.
Five tips                                                              significantly reduces soil compaction                                 5. Raise and level irrigation heads.
Consider these five tips for enhancing the                             creating more channels for air and                                       Correcting low, crooked, sinking or
irrigation programme on a golf course.                                 water movement. In high traffic areas,                                   tilted sprinkler heads will improve
1. Track your water use. You can’t                                     lay pathways for golf carts to avoid                                     irrigation uniformity coverage and
     manage what you can’t measure.                                    compaction.                                                              help make the best use of water.
     This holds true for any golf course                            3. Use wetting agents. Wetting agents                                       Irrigation heads sink for a variety of
     wishing to embark on a Water                                      conserve water by improving water                                        reasons, including soil settling, traffic
     Wise programme. Fit a magnetic or                                 penetration into the soil so that                                        by mowers, thatch build up or top-
     inductive water meter that accurately                             irrigation water is used more efficiently.                               dressing programmes. The trajectory
     measures water use to your pumping                                Research by Dr Sowmya Mitra at                                           of a water stream emitted by a low
     station. Download a water use report                              California State Polytechnic University1                                 sprinkler head is disrupted when it
     template (http://www.usga.org/course-                             demonstrated reduced water usage                                         strikes turf grass next to the head. As
     care/water-resource-center/water-                                 when wetting agents were injected into                                   the stream of water breaks apart, turf
     management-plans.html) and track                                  irrigation lines.                                                        nearest the sprinkler becoming too wet
     water use by day, month and year.                              4. Use soil moisture sensors.                                               and the turf farther away becoming too
     Once you have the data, evaluate the                              “In-ground, wireless soil moisture                                       dry. Proper sprinkler head setup and
     efficiency of your water use on                                   sensors are a great way for golf                                         spacing ensures the best delivery and
     different turf species, at different times                        facilities to better monitor soil moisture                               use of water.
     of the day or in different weather.                               and extend intervals between irrigation
2. Reduce soil compaction. “Soil                                       events”, says O’Brian. Soil moisture                                  Sources:
     compaction is the enemy of an                                     sensors more accurately report soil                                   1
                                                                                                                                                 Tips and Tools to Reduce Water Use, by Patrick
     efficient water conservation plan on                              moisture status compared to visual                                        O’Brien. Green Section Record, Vol. 52 (1)
     golf course fairways and roughs”,                                 examination. Sensors measure the                                          January 10, 2014.

Rain sensors and soil moisture probes are used by Golf Data at The Country Club Johannesburg, Woodmead in their Water Wise irrigation programme.

                                               In South Africa, there are an estimated 500 000 golfers who play on 500 golf
                                                     courses all year round. – Rand Water Water Wise Guide to Golf Courses, 2013.                                                                         13
Protect your soil

                                                                                                                            Keeping
                                                                                                                            water
                                                                                                                            in the soil
                                                                                                                             Using mulch is a water retention
     Water Wise feature in a landscape of stone and mulch   Mulch on deck. Double Gold for Bidvest Top Turf at Sasol Head
                                                                                                                             strategy that is the foundation of
     bark.                                                  Office.                                                          Water Wise landscaping.

     A       healthy soil retains water.
            Improve your soil quality by
     adding organic matter such as compost
                                                                  Why is mulch important?
                                                                • It insulates the soil helping to
                                                                  provide a buffer from heat and cold
                                                                                                                               shells, bark nuggets, wood chips and
                                                                                                                               autumn leaves. Organic mulches need
                                                                                                                               to be topped up regularly.
     which will improve the moisture and                          temperatures.                                              • Inorganic mulches. These are
     nutrient holding capacity of the soil.                     • It retains water helping to keep the                         substances or materials that do
         Compost also provides food for                           roots moist.                                                 not break down and enrich the soil,
     earthworms, which improves soil                            • It keeps weeds out to help prevent root                      but help keep moisture in the soil.
     aeration and water penetration.                              competition.                                                 Examples are gravel, pebbles, stone
     Earthworms can consume their own                                                                                          chips and pavers. As they can store
     body weight in organic matter, daily.                        Three types of mulch                                         heat they need to be used judiciously;
     Their castings (excreta) are rich                          • Organic mulches. These come from                             they are most suitable in shady areas.
     in nitrates and available forms of                           plant and animal sources and are                           • Living mulches. Ground covering plants
     potassium, phosphorous, calcium and                          the best sort of mulch because, as                           serve the exact same purpose as other
     magnesium.                                                   they break down, they enrich the soil.                       types of mulch, and may be preferable
         In small areas, mix polymers into                        Examples are compost, fruit pips, nut                        for aesthetic reasons. Low water usage
     the soil. Both organic and inorganic                                                                                      ground covers are the best choice and
     polymers act like small sponges in the                                                                                    include any 1 Drop Water Wise species.
     soil. They swell up with water ten times                       How thick should
                                                                                                                             Seven benefits of mulch
     their size when moisture is applied to
     the soil and slowly release the moisture
                                                                    mulch be?                                                • Mulch reduces soil temperature, so
     to the soil.                                                                                                              less water is lost to evaporation.
         Covering healthy soil with a layer                          For loamy soils:                                        • It promotes good root growth by
     of mulch is an essential aspect of                             Organic                                                    retaining moisture in the root zone.
     Water Wise landscaping. Mulching                               Wood chips 50-100mm                                      • It suppresses water-consuming weed
     dramatically reduces water loss from                           Sawdust 20-75mm                                            growth by keeping out the light.
     the soil due to evaporation, so that                           Shredded bark 50-100mm                                   • Mulch provides winter protection
     less frequent watering is required.                            Chunk bark 50-120mm                                        in cold climates, preventing frost
     Which mulch to choose and the depth                            Pine needles 20-75mm                                       damage to roots.
     of the applied mulch depends on the                            Leaves 20-100mm                                          • It reduces exposure to wind, which
     landscape theme, availability of various                       Lawn clippings 20mm at a time                              results in less moisture loss through
     mulches and the local climate.                                 Straw 50-120mm                                             evaporation.
         Mulch is any substance that can                            Straw manure 50-100mm                                    • It controls erosion by softening the
     be placed on the surface of the soil                           Compost 50-100mm                                           impact of falling water and slowing it
     around plants in order to keep moisture                                                                                   down so that it can soak into the soil
     in the soil. Mulch is one of the quickest,                     Inorganic                                                  before running off.
     easiest and most cost-effective ways                           Gravel 20-75mm                                           • As the mulch decomposes it becomes
     to save water in your garden. There                            Crushed stone 20-75mm                                      an excellent source of food for the
     are three types of mulch that you can                          Sand 20-50mm                                               bacteria and organisms living in the
     explore.                                                                                                                  soil, enhancing the soil quality.

                                                            “Water conservation is necessary along the whole water value chain.”
14                                                                                         – Christine Colvin, WWF.
Protect your soil

Why choose organic mulch?
• Organic mulch eventually breaks
  down and improves the quality and
  water-holding capacity of soil near
  the surface.
                                                            Fallen leaves                            Grass clippings                 Compost
• Mulched soils do not need digging,
  as micro-organisms and earthworms
  do all the work.
• Partially decomposed compost
  makes excellent organic mulch and
  is particularly appropriate and cost
  effective for businesses where the                        Pine nuggets                             Wood shavings                   Pebbles
  establishment of a compost heap
  made from kitchen and garden waste
  is viable.

Tips for organic mulch use
Do you want to know how to use
mulch?
- Organic mulches must at least be                          Macadamia shells                         Peach pips                      Terracotta shards

  5-8cm thick for normal soil and
  8-12cm for a sandy soil. With clay
  soils 2-4cm is sufficient under normal
  conditions.
- During dry or cold periods the level of
  mulch needs to be thicker than during
  wet periods to protect plant roots.
- As organic mulches break down in
  the decay process, they need to be
  replenished. Compost decomposes
  in two to four months, whereas bark
  chips last about two years before
  being broken down.
- In spring, after the last frost, it may                   Gemstones                                Veld grass                      Bark chips
  be necessary to pull mulch back from
  emerging plants, especially small
  perennials.                                              “The combination of the landscape fabric and the mulch
- When applying organic mulch, make
  sure that it does not touch the stem
                                                           stops the light getting to the soil and slows or stops
  or trunk of the plants.                                  germination and growth of weeds”.

                                                              Calculate how much mulch to buy
                                                              For a 10cm deep mulch, 25 x 30dm bags of mulch will cover 7,5m, one bag will cover 0,3m.

                                                              For a 7,5cm deep mulch, 25 x 30dm bags of mulch will cover 9m, one bag will cover 0,36m.

                                                              For a 5cm deep mulch, 25 x 30dm bags of mulch will cover 15m, one bag will cover 0,6m.

                                                              For a 2,5cm deep mulch, 25 x 30dm bags of mulch will cover 30m, one bag will cover 1,2m.

                                                              To calculate how many cubic metres of mulch you need:
                                                              • Measure the area in metres: Thus:   3 X 3 = 9m2 (A)
                                                              •    Calculate what depth of mulch you want in cm? 5cm
                                                              • Divide cm by 100 to get measurement in metres: Thus: 0.05metres (B)
                                                              • Multiply A by B: Thus:           9 X 0.05 = 0.45(C)
                                                              • This last measurement C is the number of cubic metres you need.

Designing with mulch in the Water Wise Garden, Walter
                                                              • If you buy mulch in 30dm bags, 33 bags = 1 cubic metre of mulch.
Sisulu NBG.

                                              “Ruthlessly clearing beds of fallen plant material is a hopelessly outdated prac-
                                                     tice. A 5cm layer of leaf litter reduces evaporation by 45-65%”
                                                                               – Morné Faulhammer.
                                                                                                                                                         15
Efficient irrigation

                   Designing
                    efficient
                   irrigation

                                                                                                                                                                                            Pic: Karen Richards.
                      Tips for designing Water
                            Wise irrigation and
                    choosing the right system.                                        Double Gold for Countryline Africa for Waterfall City Park.

“A        Water Wise irrigation system
          is a complex network of pipes,
sprinklers, valves, controllers, electric control
                                                                           watering than north and west exposures.
                                                                         • Identify slopes on the plan to aid choices
                                                                           of pumps and piping in the system design.
                                                                                                                                                quantify water used. Link the controller to
                                                                                                                                                a rain sensors, soil moisture sensors and
                                                                                                                                                a weather station either by wireless radio
wiring, filters, pumps and accessories.                                    Slopes need to be irrigated more slowly                              (wifi) or electrical cables.
Designing it correctly is critical to success”.                            than flat surfaces.                                                • From a Water Wise perspective, drip
Landscape Irrigation Association (LIA) of                                • Quantify the water quality, flow capacity                            irrigation is preferable to sprinklers and
South Africa.                                                              and pressure per hour from your water                                lawn pop up systems. Why?
                                                                           source.                                                              Drip irrigation:
Every Water Wise irrigation project goes                                 • Develop a detailed drawing showing the                               - Delivers water directly into the soil.
through five phases: design, product choice,                               position of dripline or sprayline piping,                                 Micro sprinklers lose water droplets to
installation, commissioning and maintenance.                               mainline piping, solenoid valves, emitters,                               wind and evaporation.
Start by appreciating the importance of Water                              sprinklers, storage tanks, water sources                             - Can reduce water consumption by as
Wise design and choosing the right irrigation                              and pumps.                                                                much as 60 percent (MIT, 2017)
system.                                                                  • When designing consider aspects such                                 - Emits 1.6 litres of water per hour,
                                                                           as distribution uniformity and irrigation                                 whereas a sprinkler system emits 2-7
Design tips                                                                efficiency.                                                               litres per minute.
• Plant your irrigation to suit the landscape                            • Never programme to water beyond field                                - Is particularly good for mulched areas
  hydro zones of the design.                                               capacity, otherwise nutrients will be                                     because it does not wash away the
• Choose an appropriate system for the                                     leached from the root zone, plants will                                   mulch.
  watering requirements of plants. Turf areas                              develop shallow root growth and you will                             - Never wets foliage, reducing the threat
  are irrigated differently from shrub borders.                            get fungal infections.                                                    of fungal attack to plants.
• Choose the plants to be irrigated. Design                              • Plan to capture and reuse water runoff.                              - Can get into awkwardly shaped and
  emitters around the drip line of trees where                             Capture storm water runoff in ponds and                                   narrow areas. Conventional sprinklers
  the roots are, rather than next to the trunk.                            pump it back into the system where it can                                 waste water by over-lapping spray
• Design an irrigation system that takes                                   be reused for the next cycle of irrigation.                               circles.
  into account future growth to avoid any                                • Link a rain sensor to the automatic                                  - Is slowly becoming cheaper on
  shadowing or blocking effects as plants                                  controller to ensure that irrigation will                                 account of the availability of low
  mature.                                                                  automatically switch off during rainy                                     pressure emitters.
• Consider areas of prolonged shade, high                                  periods.
  wear and tear or areas subject to digging                                                                                                   Source:
  or mechanical disturbance.                                             System choice                                                              Pulkit Shamshery et al. Modeling the future of irrigation:
• Evaluate the site’s soil type, topography                              • Controllers: For Water Wise irrigation                                   A parametric description of pressure compensating drip
  and microclimatic influences. South and                                  choose a computerised irrigation                                         irrigation emitter performance, PLOS ONE (2017). MIT
  east exposures need less frequent                                        controller as it will help you to sustainably                            News (web.mit.edu/newsoffice/), 2017.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Pic: Lukas Otto.
Drip irrigation remains the most Water Wise of all irrigation systems.

                                                   “Installing low pressure drippers in drip irrigation, means not only less water
                                                           consumption, but less energy use” – Professor Amos Winter, MIT, USA.                                                                                                       17
Grow
      Your Own
             awn
     Indigenous l

              Save Water –
    plant MayFord drought resistant
          indigenous lawn seed
     For Full Sun, plant MayFord Princess

•    Very latest indigenous, water wise, creeping cynodon hybrid
•    Survives on half the water Kikuyu requires and up to 29% less than other
     cynodon varieties

    For Shade areas, plant MayFord LM (Berea)

•    Shade and heat tolerant indigenous, water wise, creeping LM
•    Survives on 3 hours of direct sunlight per day and recovers from drought and
     heat stress by means of its creeping growth habit
Efficient Irrigation

Managing water efficiently
         How to manage existing irrigation systems
         according to Water Wise principles.

M       anaging an existing irrigation
        system that has already been
installed and commissioned is a
                                                                     deeply. This
                                                                     encourages
                                                                     deep root growth
challenge for all water managers.                                    that sustains the
   First, initiate irrigation practices that                         plant during dry
save water on the site. Secondly, install                            periods.
meters on main lines and quantify how                           •    If water from a
                                                                                            Irrigation at the African Leadership Academy managed by Rothe Plantscapers.
much water the landscape is using.                                   sprinkler system
Only when you know what water you                                    puddles instead
use on site, can you plan for the future.                            of sinking into the soil, change the                             information, email waterwise@
                                                                     programme to deliver the required                                randwater.co.za.
Seventeen irrigation tips to help you                                amount of water in two sessions                              • If the sky is cloudy, irrigation can be
manage irrigation more efficiently.                                  rather than one session.                                         reduced by as much as 50%.
• Avoid ‘setting and forgetting’ an                             •    Water-train trees and shrubs. By                             • Avoid irrigating during windy
  irrigation controller. Adjust them as                              gradually changing from frequent                                 weather as high winds blow away
  conditions change through seasons                                  shallow watering to less frequent but                            water delivered by sprinklers and
  and climate.                                                       deeper watering schedule, permanent                              evaporation rates are high.
• Check your irrigation system for                                   plants can be ‘trained’ to need less                         • If you do not have a rain sensor, turn
  overall coverage and distribution                                  water.                                                           off the system if rain is irrigating the
  uniformity. Irrigating paved areas                            •    Water in the early morning or late                               landscape sufficiently.
  results in considerable water waste.                               afternoon to reduce water loss to                            • Check all water connections in the
• Monitor sprinkler heads for any                                    evaporation in alignment with any                                irrigation system at least twice a year
  misalignment and adjust the sprinkler                              water bylaws.                                                    for leaks.
  heads if necessary.                                           •    Adjust the irrigation programme                              • Replace all worn washers in taps on
• Water only as frequently as your                                   according to the season. Plants need                             site.
  plants need it, but no more than                                   less water during the cool winter                            • Consider converting overhead
  each specific hydro zone. Each hydro                               season than during the hot summer                                sprinklers to drip irrigation. This is the
  zone has its own water requirements                                months.                                                          most effective way to provide water
  and requires a different watering                             •    Make use of a landscape water-                                   directly the root zone.
  schedule.                                                          use model to determine the site’s                            • Install water meters to quantify the
• Water less frequently but more                                     proposed water use. For more                                     water usage on site.

  Lowering the costs of drip irrigation
  “Drip irrigation can reduce water consumption by as much as 60 percent”, says
  Amos Winter, assistant professor of mechanical engineering, at Massachusetts
  Institute of Technology (MIT), USA.

  Drippers in most drip irrigation systems are designed to operate at a pressure of
  1 bar. The main cost of drip irrigation lies in the pump and power system needed
  to maintain this pressure. Winter says, “This fact laid the foundation for the MIT
  research project: Could we make drippers that operate on much lower pressures,
                                                                                                                            The newly designed pressure-compensating drippers operate
  and thus cut the pumping power and the capital costs?”                                                                    as low as 0.1 bar.

  The result of MIT’s research was unveiled in April 2017. A new design of pressure-compensating drippers operate as low as
  0.1 bar – one-tenth of the pressure of commercial systems. The new dripper technology halves both the power required to
  pump water through the drippers and the capital cost of an off-grid solar-driven drip system.

  Source: https://phys.org/news/2017-04-energy-needsfor-irrigation-systemswithin-farmers.html, April 20, 2017 by Jennifer Chu.

                                          “A weekly Water Wise irrigation schedule should include different cycles per week
                                                for all hydro zones, as well as station run times for all four seasons”
                                                                                 – John Gordon, LIA.
                                                                                                                                                                                        19
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