every drop countsWith the ongoing water shortage gardeners started to replace lawns with pebbles, gravel and crushed rocks. Some designs are remarkably eye-catching. Even where nothing more was done than to replace the lawn with pebbles, it looked pleasing in a calm way. It could be that it seems like that to me because I am aware that every drop of water saved counts, while the gardener just wanted something different to a lawn, but the end result is it saves water. Most of my life in Namibia saving water was part of life. Now saving water is starting to become the part of life in most cities all over the world.
I used to think it was difficult to keep gravel neat, but now I am surprised at how neat it remains. We have a gravel path on one side of the aloe garden for eight years now. The dust and small debris disappear under the gravel. We have never needed to rake as the gravel is open on all sides and the wind blows the leaves away.
A tip:- Nobody can walk quiet on gravel. Work the gravel into the garden's design to look pleasing but also as security on those sides of the house where it is needed.
Whatever the reason for the new designs in gardening, it opens a lot of possibilities for something different in the garden. Here are a few photos.


The lawn of the garden on the other side is just visible on the photo. Which garden looks better - with or without lawn is not the question. The point is that it is refreshing to see something different.


This garden used to have lawn all the way. That was somewhat dull.