When there are water shortages, how does RBG Kew manage?
RBG Kew is very careful about its use of water. We are not required to stop using hosepipes during any hosepipe bans, however, when there are water shortages we do not carry on watering regardless. We have a system of priority watering that secures water for the most important plants and trees, but cuts back or ceases water supply for less important parts of the garden. Lawns are allowed to go brown, because they will recover. We make maximum use of drip-feeding water, mulching, evening and night-time watering, and we collect water from the glasshouse rooves, and store water in our own holding tank. We do not take water from the Thames for watering the plants because it is saline.
