I hate dragging hoses from one end of my garden to the other. But I do enjoy filling my watering can from the rainbarrels. It's a good workout too. ;)

I've mostly given up on having a vegetable garden in the ground. With my slight disability and trying to stay as frugal as possible, it's too much work to loosen up and enrich the soil without help, and the same for a raised bed.

So, I'm going to try out a few container gardening ideas that will hopefully all include a self-watering system. I've read that some hotter areas still had to water their self-watering containers daily during heat spells, maybe it depended on the vegetable and if there was mulch. I'll have to pay close attention at first to come up with how often to water, and probably pay attention all over during heat spells.

If I'm able to successfully grow vegetables in self-watering containers, then I'll use yoga to recharge myself 8^)

There is something relaxing about watering with the hose. It does force you to slow down and notice things. My only problem is when I'm hurrying and the hose gets wrapped around everything.

I love hand watering! The rain-barrels are my first choice as I end up tripping myself up in the hose, or even worse, break off plants because I need just 'two more feet' to reach the back of the shaded garden. I know we're trying to find more drought tolerant plants, but hand watering is such a thrill.

There is a lovely book called Zen of Watering Your Garden that would agree wholeheartedly with the bliss of handwatering, Stuart--again, provided it's not an onerous task. I think Matt's blog is still on Blotanical though he's a doctor and not always free to write posts regularly. I recommend the book. It's lovely.

Hello Stuart,
I Agree that watering your
garden by hand is a great
way to stop and smell the
flowers while watering.
But unfortunately I have to
large of a garden to do that.
Plus, Hand watering soaks in the ground to fast,where
sprinklers do a better job of releasing water slowly and for a longer period of time, I have tried hand
watering and ended up killing a lot of my perennials. Anyways you have a nice blog, and garden. Happy growing down under!

I know all about the joys of hand watering but that's a bit of a sore point here in Melbourne where we have Stage 3a water restrictions. I mainly stick to my watering can these days. :(

Watering is one of my favorite therapies to administer to myself. What better way to experience a garden, as you point out. I have hoses and water spigots everywhere--sometimes it's dangerous walking around among them all. Living in a water-conscious part of the world, hand-watering also makes a person aware of how much water is being applied to the landscaping.