Organising domestic Organising domestic gardens and implications gardens and implications

for water usefor water use

Russell HitchingsRussell HitchingsResearch Fellow, Department of Geography, University College Research Fellow, Department of Geography, University College

LondonLondon

Plan of presentationPlan of presentation

Background to the studyBackground to the study

Setting up a system that makes senseSetting up a system that makes sense

What is a garden good for?What is a garden good for?

What this tells us about why water is usedWhat this tells us about why water is used

Background to the study Background to the study

Profiles and practicesProfiles and practices

People, plants and materials People, plants and materials

What does practice mean?What does practice mean?

Where to look and what to do?Where to look and what to do?

What do we know about actual What do we know about actual changing activity?changing activity?

More money... but in what kinds of way?More money... but in what kinds of way?

Smaller sizes... but kinds of housing?Smaller sizes... but kinds of housing?

Time use... but what kind of time?Time use... but what kind of time?

Garden characters... but are people like Garden characters... but are people like that?that?

A contextual approach to garden A contextual approach to garden practicepractice

What is a garden good for?What is a garden good for?

Why do we have these things anyway?Why do we have these things anyway?

Different ideas articulated across sites?Different ideas articulated across sites?

1. The garden centre1. The garden centre

A young couple, wandering really. A young couple, wandering really. They seem aimless. She says ‘its They seem aimless. She says ‘its ok, mmm, well maybe I’d quite like ok, mmm, well maybe I’d quite like a bigger one, but I don’t know.’ a bigger one, but I don’t know.’ Then they go back into quiet, ‘ums’ Then they go back into quiet, ‘ums’ and ‘ahs.’ There are building works and ‘ahs.’ There are building works behind the centre and they talk behind the centre and they talk animatedly about that for a while. animatedly about that for a while. Like this is something for them to Like this is something for them to latch onto - ‘wonder what its going latch onto - ‘wonder what its going to be etc.’ Then its back into the to be etc.’ Then its back into the silence and a confused kind of silence and a confused kind of roaming around. Then they see the roaming around. Then they see the cactuses. ‘Ah look at the cactus – cactuses. ‘Ah look at the cactus – they are great aren’t they.’ ‘Yes they are great aren’t they.’ ‘Yes look at all the different shapes!’ look at all the different shapes!’ ‘Shall we get some of those?...I like ‘Shall we get some of those?...I like that one.’that one.’

2. The garden designer2. The garden designer

Client:Client: And that variegated one, And that variegated one, we could make that a bit more we could make that a bit more bushy…I wonder whether we bushy…I wonder whether we can do that? I mean can we still can do that? I mean can we still do that? I mean that is do that? I mean that is something that we should be something that we should be doing now is it – at the end of doing now is it – at the end of summer? But is it the end of summer? But is it the end of summer? I mean what is the summer? I mean what is the gardening end of summer?gardening end of summer?

Kate:Kate: It really isn’t a fixed time It really isn’t a fixed time thing, its just something to do thing, its just something to do with when you have had enough with when you have had enough time sitting in the garden looking time sitting in the garden looking at it, and you feel like cutting at it, and you feel like cutting things back! (laughter) things back! (laughter) (observation session(observation session

3. The designed garden3. The designed garden

James, equally, wanted a James, equally, wanted a reason to be out there. He reason to be out there. He talked about how the talked about how the garden needed watering. garden needed watering. He said it was like having a He said it was like having a dog, that encouraged him to dog, that encouraged him to go for walks - walks which go for walks - walks which he wouldn’t have thought of he wouldn’t have thought of doing otherwise, but would doing otherwise, but would nonetheless enjoy doing in nonetheless enjoy doing in practice... But of course this practice... But of course this would have been a would have been a particular kind of dog particular kind of dog (interview two).(interview two).

4. The gardened garden4. The gardened garden

‘‘You see if it gets dry and You see if it gets dry and you just water it (...) then you just water it (...) then the next day it’s all drunk by the next day it’s all drunk by all the big trees! But if you all the big trees! But if you have the watering system have the watering system and you have it on at certain and you have it on at certain times - it waters enough - times - it waters enough - and they all grow!’ (Diane, and they all grow!’ (Diane, interview one)interview one)

An uneasy experience with scope An uneasy experience with scope for interventionfor intervention

Normal gardens and kinds of convention Normal gardens and kinds of convention in London?in London?

The opportunity to get on board when The opportunity to get on board when systems of practice change.systems of practice change.

Main pointsMain points

Different ethics where water wastage is Different ethics where water wastage is only oneonly one

Issues of work or relaxation: getting things Issues of work or relaxation: getting things done or allowing changedone or allowing change

Finding the times when they would be well Finding the times when they would be well received...and there may be more of them received...and there may be more of them nownow