Domestic Gardens as Water-wise Landscapes: A Case Study in Southwestern Europe

Abstract

<jats:p>Spain has undergone a period of uncontrolled urban expansion in a relatively short time-span, affecting people's quality of life in negative ways with significant impacts on the environment and land resources such as water and energy. Many new residential areas have low-density development, based on single-family houses with private gardens. These gardens are usually relatively small in size, but when considered as a whole, they make a substantial contribution to urban green spaces and have an important impact on the local environment. Although this includes a large variety of benefits, gardens demand a significant quantity of resources, including irrigation water, which is also important and should be taken into account. This paper analyzes features and management practices in domestic gardens, their relationships to garden design, and the attitudes of owners with regard to more sustainable alternatives. In addition, the main features of private gardens are examined. For this study, in-person interviews were conducted with homeowners who possess domestic gardens in the region of Aljarafe in southern Spain. The features of the gardens surveyed proved to be highly variable and related to several factors, such as the area of the gardens. Results seem to indicate that owners are reluctant to implement measures to lower water consumption in garden irrigation, apparently because of a lack of knowledge regarding more sustainable design alternatives. Homeowners who had prior knowledge of the principles of xeriscaping were significantly more open to applying these principles in practical ways.</jats:p>

Maintenance, Modifications, and Water Use in Private Gardens of Alt Empordà, Spain

“…Although almost 52% of owners were involved in the design of their gardens, professional landscaper intervention was especially important in 25.2% of all cases. This contrasts the results of Fernández-Cañero et al (2011) in Aljarafe, Spain, which showed a higher proportion (86.3%) of owners involved in the design of their gardens.…”

“…Garcia et al (2013) identified in the coastal area of Girona (Catalonia, northeastern Spain) four garden typologies (lawn, vegetable, ornamental and tree) and classified them according to their relative water needs and the socioeconomic profiles of the residents who owned them. Studying the Aljarafe region (Andalusia, southern Spain), Fernández-Cañero et al (2011) watered and mainly grown for aesthetic purposes without regard for environmental considerations. Furthermore, the authors reported that decisions to hire a professional maintenance service strongly depend on total garden area.…”

Residential landscape aesthetics and water conservation best management practices: Homeowner perceptions and preferences

“…In contrast to agricultural contexts, the look and feel of the landscape is an important consideration for homeowners. Several studies have found that aesthetics are often the primary focus of landscaping decisions, while environmental and other concerns are subsidiary (Fernández-Cañero, Ordovas, & Machuca, 2011;Larsen & Harlan 2006;Spinti & St. Hilaire 2004) .…”

Impact of Homeowner Association (HOA) landscaping guidelines on residential water use

“…Numerous studies have demonstrated a strong relationship between residential land cover and water use [ Mini et al ., ; Halper et al ., ; Breyer et al , ; Fernández‐Cañero et al ., ]. For example, the amount of irrigated vegetation on residential parcels in Aurora, CO, holds a stronger (and positive) relationship with water use than does vertical structure (e.g., building height) or socioeconomic variables (e.g., income) [ Gage and Cooper , ].…”