If you are on a hosepipe ban, are you complying?

[FindingMeno]

Just curious really - if you are, will you continue to, whatever, even if it decimates everything? Is your garden small or big?

For transparency, I am ( grumpily) complying, but don't know what state the garden will be in before long, which makes me very sad. My garden is mid sized I would say.

We are exempt due to DS disability needs, even if we weren’t then no I wouldn’t be complying, especially not for my water company. South east water have had constant problems the last 3/4 years, made sure thier shareholders have been paid before actually fixing the things that need fixing. We pay through the roof for water, on a fixed rate, be damned if I’m not using water when I’m paying for it.

We are filling the water butt and letting it stand before filling the pond. Gets rid of the chlorine nicely and if the water butt is filled I can water my plants from it 😀

We have a new tree. We are watering it. The grass is brown but I’m not worried it will recover.

Yes. Big garden, lots of things dying.

Yes. My garden looks terrible, but I’m complying.

Only when it’s really really really hot does the grass get hot - it’s a costly one

tho I don’t lay on grass regardless real or fake as have sun loungers

cheap brands do get hot quickly

We dont have one, but I dont really see the point in it unless people are just pouring it all over the garden? I use mine to clean the base of the hamsters cage and to fill the paddling pool, if i filled the paddling pool with a bucket it would use the same amount.
I can understand reducing useage on plants, but it seems more efficient to just briefly use the hose on a fine setting rather than watering by hand.
Our garden has stayed quite green from the DC having water gun fights so dont use the hose on it.

Yes complying, we don't own a hosepipe anyway. Use a watering can. Nothing has died yet but we are out there almost everyday clearing leaves etc.

No hosepipe band here, we were wetter than average until June and have not broken 30C this year. Just been visiting my family in the north of Scotland where they are having a very wet summer, everything looks beautifully green, it was a shock how yellow things were in England when we came back, although our lawn is still mostly green (particularly the part shaded by the plum tree, plant trees in the ground folks. Some of my clematis are hating it though will be interesting to see which revive over the winter.

I use something called 'Tap Safe' every time I top up our ponds which doesn't appear to make the wildlife unhappy.

We have a ban but I'm still topping up the ponds which is exempt for wildlife which is good because I'd be filling it with watering cans 24/7 for the newts and frogs otherwise.

Yes, endlessly filling 3 big watering cans for my pots, and 3 birdbaths.

Yes, though it’s taking me bloody forever to do all the beds and baskets in the front and back every day (back garden alone is 1/4 acre) getting fed up now, but can’t let everything die.

Absolutely this!

Ban here and I am using a watering can!

My garden is mostly pots and I always use watering cans to water it even when not in a ban.
We have used a hose to fill up the pond which is allowed. The children have been warned not to splash water out of the pool because we can’t fill it up.

There was yet another water main leak last week along our main road - the people who lived nearby were siphoning it off with hoses to water their garden - I was very impressed!

This thread is a great example of how stupid and/or some humans can be. Sad really…
We are in the midst of extreme weather bouts and need to plan for the possibility of a severe lack of the most fundamental fuel for us to survive, let alone function properly.

Yes of course! But still using a can for the pots.

Why would it be? I am doing similar.

I am exempt and use my hose to water vulnerable plants. Grass is left dry as are the very mature plants which can cope.
We need plants for the bees and insects and I need my garden for my mental and physical health.
I use my water butts when I can manage.
I am disabled and have stage 4 cancer.
My local water company is a corrupt and useless entity.
We have leaks constantly pumping thousands of gallons all around the area.
I feel no guilt at using my hose.

There is no hosepipe ban where we are but I still don’t use one. We have a water meter but I also consider, unlike most on here it seems, that water is not infinite.

I think every property should be metered and then people may consider their use of water more carefully. We shower, use the washing machine, dishwasher etc normally, as in full loads and flush the loo but I don’t leave water running unnecessarily.

I’m still using a hose. Postage stamp size garden, no lawn, but I have raised beds that I can’t reach into with a watering can as the plants extend into the garden too far from the beds. Hose is on for a minute or two, and I water every 2-3 days instead of every day. Not sure it would be much benefit to me, or insects and birds, if I let all the flowering bushes die.

We're NOT on a ban, but I'd still water using it because my garden is one of the most important things in my life. We don't go on holiday or fly anywhere. Yes I'm selfish and awful. No, I don't care.

The most stupid human behaviour I can see is us all accepting that our water companies can allow millions of gallons seep away while paying themselves bonuses and putting up our bills every year.

It sounds like most people are leaving their lawns to go brown and are using the hosepipe to water their plants. I think if they are using a hose gun that can be switched off when moving from bed to bed they are not using any more than they would be using a watering can. I get that the water companies have to have a blanket ban as not all people are considerate and some would be leaving the hose to run and having sprinklers on 24/7 but as long as people are sensible I don't see the harm. As there are exemptions who knows who is actually 'allowed' to use a hose and would anyone actually report someone?

Of course we are complying. I'm watering the pots with a can. The rest of the garden is basically sun blasted apart from the trees but it will grow back.

I wouldn't report anyone. There are virtually no gardens anymore where I am and it's miserable and demoralising having to exist in such a dull environment with no greenery. If I see a garden I'm happy for someone to be caring for it. Gardens are important for insects and birds. Nobody puts water out for the birds where I am either.