It amazes me that governments keep on introducing conflicting requirements. I'll just bet that the landscaping requirements are based "health and safety" issues. Strange justification.
My rural area has no landscaping requirements. But our drought (NC) has killed about half of my 2-year old lawn which was started from seed. One nearby city had air quality problems and residents were requested to not mow lawns at certain times of the days and not at all on days with certain atmospheric conditions. So the city council reduced the permissible maximum height of lawn grasses by 33%! I wish some of these people lived in the real world.
Perhaps they would agree to additional lawn watering if you agree to flush your toilet only once a week. That idea is no more ridiculous than some of the regulations.

I feel for you - I'm in central AL and we've been under water restrictions all summer. It's suppose to be worse next year. We have been lucky and haven't lost much due to rain coming in at just the right time. Of course, next spring we may see things dying from the current drought.

Two new houses in our community have installed wells for their landscaping and pools. We've only talked to one of them and he said he was quoted 20 per foot (cost) but paid less than that. He hit water at just over 200ft. The other guy told him he hit at 250ish.

We do live on a lake but haven't resorted to pumping from the lake - something I don't think the HOA would approve of.

In our last home, our azaleas all survived since I watered them with washing machine water. One large load fills up a large garbage can twice. We had zoysia but it was well established and wasn't harmed.

Good luck.

I'm wondering if we should install a rainwater collection system for water off the rooftop. Assuming there's some rainfall, at least we'd have that. I have no idea how it then gets distributed to the lawn. We're hoping to have the $ left for a pop-up sprinkler system and I guess you can tie into that. Of course, plant experts say not to use rooftop water on plants because of all the chemicals on asphalt roofs (as ours will be).

We are also required by law to ensure the survival of any trees that we are required to plant(if we remove any trees, which we will do.) We have to keep them alive for 2 years. Who knows what kind of exemption we get in order to water those.

allison: our new city has now prohibited residents from pumping from their own private lakes! Because it lowers the groundwater, which reduces the water available to the municipality.

We're in the city and all washing machines must empty into the sanitary sewer, so we can't dump that on the landscape.

We are in GA as well and have been under restriction since early June. In July, we were on a watering ban and now we are back to restricted use again (2 days a week). We abided by the restricitons but many did not. Many got away with it in broad daylight repeatedly and a few did not and got hefty fines (one I heard was $1,500).

We were confused bc some neighboring counties were not only not on restriction but were boasting about having plenty of water. Now THEY have declared a complete ban until further notice.

I am not sure they can enforce the private lake restriction but I am no attorney. We are getting some rain now so things are evening out but we almost lost alot of well established landscaping there for a while and some people started losing trees.

Its pretty scary. Lake levels are at record lows and it will be difficult for an average rainfall fall and winter season to recover many of the local lakes.

pinktoes: Of course, plant experts say not to use rooftop water on plants because of all the chemicals on asphalt roofs (as ours will be).

Color me a bit skeptical that water from an asphalt roof is unsafe to use for landscape water, especially if you're talking about lawns and ornamentals rather than table vegetables and greens.

If your community is using chlorine to treat the municipal supplies, then I would actually prefer to use soft rainwater for my gardening needs.

Not to mention, I'd rather my lawn and beds got a bit of hydrocarbon leachment from the roof-trapped rainwater (which BTW they'd get anyway if they were anywhere near the roof when it rains), than died from severe drought.

--Steve

I'm in So. California and we don't have water restrictions in my town - yet - but I think it will be soon. Last year we had less than 4" all year - and the same this year! We put in a gray water system to take the water from the laundry, showers and bathroom sinks and use it to water the garden, but we haven't actually connected it yet as we plan to use it to water our trees and those haven't been planted yet. Is it too late to add a gray water system to your house?

I'm installing an entirely low-water garden, including a large area of California natives, which is getting watered once a week right now. Once it is established, in another year, I'll cut back to twice a month or even less.

You might contact your local native plant society and local garden societies and see if they have some very low water plant suggestions for you.

Also, maybe you can significantly reduce the lawn (sod) areas of your garden, replacing them with either hardscape or a very low water lawn substitute? Here we find that Dymondia makes an excellent lawn substitute in sunny areas, requiring no mowing, no fertilizing, virtually no maintenance of any kind. It takes even heavy foot traffic, and we planted it in part of our gravel driveway for cars to park on.

Perhaps you can time your landscape installation next year, or at least some of it, to a time when you get more rain? I don't know how it is in Georgia, but in So. Calif. we get about 98% of our rain between November and April, so that's the best time to plant anything here.

Good luck!

We're in NC where we finally got a small bit of rain yesterday. This is the worst drought with the water levels being down over 2 feet. Even if we had rain barrels, there has been almost no rain since back in July. It's going to be 90 and 92 degrees on Monday and Tuesday.

I feel for folks who are building new homes right now. We're seeing so much landscaping die at a lot of the new properties (it's Parade of Homes time).

I believe the HOAs and municipalities are going to have to come to some new agreements. HOAs require lawns, grass be kept mowed below a certain height, landscaping within 30 days of CO, etc. Muncipalities put restrictions on water (as they should) so as others have said, there are conflicting rules. Landscaping is expensive to lose, so the HOAs need to loosen up on the requirements and start considering alternatives to huge expanses of required green lawns and start allowing xeriscaping.

We are on a well on 4.5 acres. The springs in our woods are still producing water. We have a large flower garden, but most is drought tolerant. We've used minimal drip irrigation on some sections. I am going to seriously shovel prune (get rid of) plants that did not do well in the drought. I have been writing about what works and doesn't work in my gardening blog (www.defingyourhome.blogspot.com) for those with similar zones.

However, it is still very depressing to see so much die out in nature as well as our gardens. The dogwoods and redbuds look really damaged and are brown or have dropped leaves.

It sounds like with the kind of drought we're in and expect to be in next summer, too, any kind of rainwater collection system won't be worth the money.

Maybe between now and spring some laws will change about diverting gray water to the landscape. We have a really savvy Water Resources person I've already met in the new city. I'm going to talk to her before long and ask what's coming down the pike.

Instead of planting water hungry grass species, consider planting more xeric types like buffalo grass. It's a short naitive grass that is suitable for clay soils and really doesn't grow that tall in the first place (6"). Also look into naitive xeric plants that are suitable to the soil and sun/shade conditions of your particular site. Don't plant azalias and dogwoods if you have only full sun, etc. Consider larger areas of a mixed shrub perennial border instead of large areas of lawn. Those can be mulched aggressively and that will cut down on water needed. See what your town allows for drip irrigation systems. Many localities don't restrict drip irrigation like they do sprinkler systems, and drip systems work much better for the shrub/perennial/tree type plantings. Also, consider actually amending the "soil" that is left for your lawn area. Adding organic amendments and tilling them in will help the lawn actually be healthier in low water situations than similar unamended soil. Using greywater is another option. Put a bucket in your shower to capture that water, as well as water used to wash your clothes.

Also, see if your HOA or whomever "requires" the landscaping would wait on enforcing that provision for the cooler fall planting season. It never hurts to ask---and phrase it in a way as to show that you're doing your civic duty by trying to save water and they're just profligate water wasters by having this unreasonable requirement. If you "mow what grows" until you are able to lay the sod, and then sod the entire yard as a concession to the requirements, at least your home wouldn't be "shaggy" looking in the mean time.

In your climate zone planting grass in the July August timeframe is not a good idea. If you are planting sod - you will need to keep it moist until the roots penetrate into the soil - and that is going to take a lot of water.

You have a couple of choices:

- put in a below ground sprinkler system ($$$)

- use above ground sprinklers. Purchase a bunch of heads with spikes and position them around the yard - adjust them for coverage and leave them in place. Use hoses with quick release connectors so you just have to disconnect the hose and re-connect to another head.

- wait until Sept/Oct, seed & straw, and pray for rain

There is a pretty good chance that your house schedule is going to slip past whatever date you are planning - so I would cross the bridge when you get to it.

In my previous home, I put in a sprinkler system the day we were moving in (May timeframe, Northern VA)- we had 1/3 of an acre sodded. The sod actually went in a week or two prior to moving in - so I bought above ground heads and watered the yard to save the lawn because the builder was not doing a very good job keeping the sod wet prior to our CO. Keeping sod alive in the heat takes a lot of water and moving the hose around works - but it is a very time consuming process. Once I got the sprinkler system installed - life got a lot easier and made a huge difference. Many of my neighbors lost big chunks of their lawns because they could not keep up with manual watering. Some of them re-planted sod and had sprinkler systems installed - and those lawns always looked the best.

In the new house, we have over 2 acres of cleared area so the only cost effective option was to put down seed & straw - which was just completed. Rain is hopefully coming this week.

Like you, we have water restrictions as well. However, we are lucky enough to have reclaimed water so we are free to water on our given days (twice a week I think). When new landscaping is done, we are still allowed to water 24/7 for the first 30 days. Hopefully this will be the case when we lay our sod, which is also needed for CO. On the other hand the property has grass so we may get by with what is currently there rather than replacing and then do so sometime after we are in.

Looks like we're expecting the total water ban to continue into fall of 08 here. We will be allowed the first 30 days to establish our mandatory lawn. But then it can have NO water; that won't work at all. We do plan underground sprinklers just for longterm convenience. We let our grass almost go dormant before we water it; we're not big green lawn people. But, I'm not letting new sod die after 30 days in the summer.

Oddly enough I just got an email from a regular green supply company and they're hawking rain barrels. Must be a big seller with lots of drought this summer. They're suggesting not just off your downspouts, but in series off your downspouts and then some freestanding in the backyard. I see the future before us!

Okay, so you have some maintenance with these. Changing of filters so the outflow doesn't get clogged. I'm allergic to many molds, so not sure if it's even a good idea to keep barrels of water around. Then there's the mosquito/West Nile virus panic here. They might soon ban open barrels.

We ripped all but 200 sq. ft. of our lawn in the current house and installed a "low maintenance" landscape. Once established, it takes little or no water. But here, in the land of weeds, it is FAR from low maintenance. And to keep the weeds out of that kind of landscape on 2/3 of an acre at the new house will be beyond our ability. And, when we get too infirm to cut our grass, it'll be prohibitively expensive to pay a landscape service to weed a "low maintenance" landscape. So, our hope with the new place was to go to what would be affordable to pay a service to do--which is, to cut grass. And, would be more doable for us now--which is cut our own grass on a riding lawnmower. The days of us weeding and mulching an alternative landscape are over. It's looking grim here.

I guess that we could do the lawns in concrete. Paint it green for Summer, brown for Winter.

Bus_driver,
LOL! I did a search for "artificial lawn" and got a lot of hits for various products. Since they are forecasting a several year drought event for the Southeast US, that might not be a bad idea for a new homeowner to make their place look good and to hold topsoil in place. Once the drought is over (if it ever is) they could plant a real lawn.

I'm in North Florida and our short period drought this summer broke at the end of August. But I am not planning on much lawn area, mostly wildflowers and native plantings that can handle our climate variations. My largest open area is over the drainfield for the septic system and I suspect grass and wildflowers will survive there just fine.

We just threw down seeds for both 'Eco Turf' and 'Eco Lawn'. Both consist of short-height native grasses specific to the region you spec, needing very little water (since they're native) or maintenance, including mowing. Would this work for anyone?

Here is a link that might be useful: Eco Turf & Eco Lawn

happykate: I checked out the lawn at your link. Unfortunately, we are in the zone where that grass would require occasional watering. So, I think we're better off using the grasses that work best in this area. They are bermuda and zoysia and they will survive if left unwatered; they simply go dormant.

Since establishment is the problem, I think our personal choice has to be to just throw down fescue seed (cheap) and water for the 30 days we're allowed. That will get us our CO. Then we live with GA red mud after we're no longer allowed to water and the seed dies. As droughts are often followed by flood-years here, eventually it will rain again. We will then install sod.

It would be easier to live in an arid climate where drought is a constant problem and you're allowed to install an alternative landscaping. Here, some years there's drought, but most years there's a lot of rain. All our dry-loving plants die from root rot or whatever. Plants here have to love humidity, heat, but tolerate the occasional drought.

While we have to choose plant material appropriate for our zones, here's an excellent link to a resource on xeriscaping. I stumbled across this while researching information for my gardening blog. Even though it is for Colorado, their 7 principles can be applied anywhere in the country.

Hope this helps.
Cameron

Here is a link that might be useful: xeriscaping

we have bermuda grass for the lawn. the only water it gets is when it rains. i never had a problem all summer, even though we got no rain in July or August. and not more than an inch since then. the bermuda is still green.

I'm surprised that installing landscaping in July/August is recommended anywhere in the south. Why not postpone by a couple of months--endure the dirt, and you'll be out of the watering ban and you'll have time to get everything established by winter.

heimert: It isn't recommended to install landscaping in the middle of summer. But it's done all the time in new construction. Because all the metro authorities require grass, and in some areas a sodded front lawn, in order to get your CO. So, we will have no choice. The only grasses that grow from seed here, that are not weed grasses you don't want near your yard, are fescue. And fescue does not establish well here in summer. But it's cheap, and we can possibly meet the requirements for our CO with it, and 30 days of watering.

That's why we'll probably delay installing our permanent lawn, probably till we've had several months of deep soaking rains. Note that our watering bans here do not end with fall. There is a total ban here now statewide and it might be extended into the fall of 08 before we even get out of this winter. The main water supply for Atlanta currently has only 3 months of water. Lawns might become a minor consideration.

Unless they really identify the seed that you plant, you might consider sowing annual ryegrass right now. If normal rains resume, you will have to replant the yard anyway. In my part of NC, we are now declared to be in Extreme drought. I have not yet fertilized nor reseeded. Normally would have done so about 3 to 4 weeks ago. Probably will not do it at all this year.

bus driver: I hadn't thought about rye. If we're looking at winter occupancy, we could sure do that. And cheaply. Our situation is there's currently a teardown house on the land and some grass. But there'll be a lot of grading done and I know the existing grass will mostly get killed by the time the demolition is done and we get the new house built.

Thanks for mentioning the rye.

pinktoes- I wouldn't poo poo the rain barrel concept. You can get donut-shaped slow-release BT tablets that will take care of the mosquitoes. I haven't put ours together yet, but we're currently catching the early cold water from our shower and watering the few relatively-new shrubs that seem to need it most (hydrangeas planted in spring are in the worst shape). If you're really serious, you could park/hide a cistern on your lot to give you storage capacity.

We tilled and re-seeded our lawn a year ago, and it did really well into the 100 degree stretch in August here in ATL, but now the (fescue) turf is losing to the weeds. Oh well, that's what it was like before we remodeled.

FWIW, you should consider applying a compost product before doing any seeding. You need something that will hold some water, has nutrients, and won't turn into a brick when it doesn't rain. We used a ~2-inch layer of ErthFood (biosolids and peanut hull compost from Plains, GA) that really helped get our grass kick-started through last winter. That and a good layer of chip mulch (not cypress!) around shrubs may help them make it until we see some more rain.

As for the rye grass, I have mixed feelings. I put out a mix of rye and fescue seed last year. The rye dominated into late spring, and I don't know if that helped or stunted the progress of the slower-growing fescue.

Good luck.

Here is a link that might be useful: GA rain barrel flier

thull: thanks for all the info. I saved the rain barrel flier. We're thinking about it all.

It is true about the rye grass competing with the fescue, since both are cool weather grasses. I'm just thinking about a cheap, temporary grass to get our CO, since whatever we plant is gonna probably die after 30 days, when we're no longer allowed to water.

We'll be in the north suburbs and fescue seems to do well there even in the heat of summer. (Even this summer without watering.) But DH is set on zoysia sod as his permanent front yard grass (back will stay in fescue for cost reasons). So, I think we need to wait on installing that zoysia till watering restrictions are lifted. If ever.

I won't plant a single hydrangea because they love water. Same with azaleas. Looks like a new day may be dawning here rather permanently. There are 12 dwarf yaupons on the property that we plan to reuse. They're so tough that they'll survive most anything. Other than that, monkey grass and that's it for us. The mature dogwoods will live or die, I suppose. We didn't water them this year.

Why not cypress mulch around shrubs? I use it around perennials and love the less-washing-away qualities it has.

Upstate South Carolina here. Most of my grass is bermuda...whatever was growing in the field. After building during the last drought, driving a tractor over it a million times, and seeing it come back and thrive...it was the grass for me.

I plumbed in a whole house grey water recovery system. Basically a two inch pipe with a valve I can open or close to divert grey water to a separate drywell. I figure if it gets so I need the water I will install another diversion valve and divert it to a barrel with a sump pump that can then put the water where I need it most.

Also just took delivery of 40 yards of mulch this last weekend to spread around trees and amend clay soil so it will hold water better.

Reading about this area I learned that up through at least the depression years the yards were raked sand. At least it would keep the clay from tracking in, though shoes off would have to be mandatory to avoid sanding off the floor finishes.

(Good thing we vetoed that 8 foot pipe they wanted to use to divert water to Atlanta a few years ago from our watershed...regardless will joint in pleas to send rain. The last good one we had was in July after I jokingly told my grand daughter to do a rain dance. Son of a gun if we didn't get a nice local cloud burst w/in two hours that dumped nearly and inch of rain on us....need to perhaps try that one again!)

I'll have to look into it, but I don't think grey water recovery is legal here.

Many things are going to have to change in the next few years.

Pink...what about centipede? We're in Augusta and have been on restricted watering for 4 years in a row. We're only allowed to water for one hour between 10PM and 10AM on T-Th-S. Last year we watered one time and this year it was only twice. As you know it was HOT and dry this summer and our grass stayed nice and green even without the watering. You just can't kill this stuff! It greens up early in the spring, but goes dormant fairly early too. Another bonus was that with so little water it grew REALLY slowly and only needed cut every other week. :o)

We're frustrated with the landscaping issues too. We will have to have the landscaping completed before we can get a CO even though the majority of the property will be left natural. We are planning a moon garden and cottage garden for the areas near the house, but you can't just plop those down to get the CO. I hate having to plant something just to have it yanked out soon afterward. *sigh*

persnicketydesign: Centipede would be, in my mind, the absolutely perfect grass for exactly the reasons you stated. Perfect, perfect. I should have mentioned that earlier. DH doesn't like its thicker blade (even on some thinner hybrids I dragged him to see). Try to imagine my reaction to his opinion on this. LOL!

But, he will be the one cutting and managing the turf. And if he's not happy with it, his motivation to care for it will drop like a rock. Hence, he gets to decide on the grass. Aarghhh!

pinktoes- cypress mulch is mostly coming from logging of old-growth swamp timber that's shredded. Since that's part of the storm protection and pollutant filtering for Louisiana, for example, it's a problem.

I think you could do a grey water system, but it might be involved/expensive. I know that Laura Seydel's Eco Manor includes one.

Here is a link that might be useful: Save Our Cypress site

thull: it occurred to me after I posted that there was likely a timber protection rationale. Hadn't thought about that; I can stop using the small amount I use now (a 2 x 3 bed by the patio).

We were just discussing what to do about what I'm convinced will be a future of various restrictions and expensive water around here. We've nixed the inground sprinklers for that reason. Grey water--it just seems a lot of expense and effort for two old people who don't need to be taking that on. Grass will survive, even if it goes dormant in summer droughts. The 2 dogwoods are old and likely near the end of their life span. I won't replant them when they're gone because they do need water.

Think it's time for us to be real practical about landscaping. We do want enough water for a few tomatos, cukes, and dwarf okra in summer. DH said let's do the rain barrel. BTW, local ACE hardware had a sign up today about $160. for a rain barrel. Talked to one gardener who made hers from some published instructions, perhaps off the link you provided.

I'm not a scientist of any kind but I do know the earth changes and goes through cycles. I think now is a great time to stop talking about water restrictions and start putting our thinking caps on. Look for ways around the house to save water, to recapture any safe water used for other uses, drought resistant plants and grasses, rain water systems for when it does rain, and such as that(most have been mentioned). Either way I'd rather have water for showers, and drinking than watering anyday. I can live with dead grass but not a smelly a$$.

Our largest local nursery here, with locations everywhere, just filed Chapter 13 bankruptcy. They can't sell their plants due to the continued drought and watering ban. The fallout from that is a lot of landscapers and workers losing their jobs, and probably their houses. So, there will be effects on the housing market, and the mortgage loan defaults as well.

Yes, our state was posed to prevent the supply and distribution aspect of our area's problem several years ago, but the politicians ignored it. The usage aspects have now been brought to everyone's attention in a way that I think won't be forgotten for awhile because of the financial impact, if nothing else.

Actually, I'm pretty sure Pike filed for Chapter 11 protection (reorganization, as opposed to Ch 7, which IIRC is liquidation). They said a location in Lawrenceville will close- I was worried it was the Stone Center at first. That's the best place in the area for stone, IMO, and I haven't found anywhere else to get bulk crushed slate.

The news stories keep mentioning homeowners not being able to water new plantings as part of the reason. But I thought the 30-day new planting exemption was good for everyone (landscapers/builders and homeowners).

I think a rain barrel is a good thing to do. I have 3 barrels sitting around waiting to get converted while I do various other house projects. In the meantime, we haven't really been watering anything.

FWIW, food gardens have always been exempt from the watering restrictions.

We've been working on a green initiative at my office. One thing we did was to replace all the lav aerators in the bathrooms (8 total) with 0.5 gpm ones. Did something similar for the breakroom faucets. Would like to pitch putting in waterless urinals and low-flow toilets (all are currently pre-1.0/1.6 gpf, but the party line I've heard 2nd hand is that the building mgmt won't do this b/c they'll have to re-do the bathrooms to meet ADA. Kinda nutty just for changing out fixtures, IMO.

The thing that keeps making me chuckle is that it's great we're reducing usage in the metro area. But at some level, it doesn't matter when the Corps keeps draining Lanier at the same rate every day.

Here is a link that might be useful: PDF of GA watering restrictions

thull: You're right; Ch. 11. We're in Lawrenceville; it's probably the small nursery nearest us, which has never been very busy anyway, that's closing. I'm sure the one on Hwy 29 will stay open because it's their commercial ctr and the rock sales help it too.

My parents have a small food garden, but they've been hesitant to water it too, with the shortage, since they are not dependent on it for sufficient food to eat.

Some local school system is considering waterless urinals. Latrines and outhouses have worked in the past, too. My personal opinion is that commercial users use way too much water for landscaping and other non-product-producing water use. If they paid the higher residential rate, I think they'd back off on their usage. (All the sprinklers going in the rain has always irked me.) Structure those usage rates to encourage the behavior you want: don't give the big users a LOWER rate, for heaven's sake. Businesses are smart; they jumped on LEEDs to their advantage. This requires far less legislation to create incentives for them to cut back on water use.

I think homeowners have just backed off on outdoor watering because, you know, it's expensive, and they get confused about their allowed days, etc. And, also, they've not been installing what they normally would have. I haven't because the subsoil is dry and even with a little surface watering you don't get good root development on bigger plants. Better to wait till later.

I'm sure Pike's didn't take this step lightly. I've seen office parks without their usual fall pansies. And I'm waiting to see the self-aggrandizing signs go up around them saying "Look what good citizens we're being--no pansies!" LOL. One hates to be cynical, but really. Perdue holding public prayers for rain?! Why doesn't he gather his courage and deal with the Army?

Well, enough local chit-chat. Personally, planning a new house, we're sticking with our usual folk-wisdom approach to toilets: "If it's yellow, let it mellow: if it's brown flush it down." How graphic, though clear can you be? It doesn't require replacing all your fixtures or reworking your entire life to make an impact here.