As the City Calgary gradually eases outdoor water use restrictions, experienced gardeners like Melanie Isles remain unfazed by the changes thanks to their self-sufficient, drought-resistant gardens. "I grew up in Calgary, so I'm well acquainted with what our weather systems are like. I've always gardened organically," said Isles, who lives in the southwest community of Southwood.
"I started learning about permaculture principles and so working with what we have...
. I know we actually get a lot of rainfall here. It's just that it comes in really short and heavy bursts and we waste it.
" The solution? Designing a system that retains as much water as possible without watering the plants. Apart from a couple of individual plants that Isles and her husband planted last year, the couple hasn't felt the need to water anything yet. How does it work, though? Isles has set up 1,000-litre rain totes that collect rainwater from the roof.
She has created pathways, known as swales, to make the entire process easier. "In the garden, there is ..
. a big swale that the rainwater overflows into. So it's 18 inches deep and about 18 inches wide and it's got weeping tile in it," she said.
"So the rainwater comes off the roof, goes into the swale and slowly seeps into the ground. Whereas because we have short and solid rain events, usually, in Calgary, if it's compacted ground or grass, it just washes away." The goal is straightforward — get the water to seep into the ground little by little inste.