One of the fun things about my job as an editor at Audubon Magazine is seeing the topics that we feature in our pages making a splash in mainstream publications or on popular news shows, even if it's years after we wrote about them. And that's exactly what happened this morning when I opened the newspaper and read Anne Raver's article about rain barrels.
Raver's compelling, well reported article, cleverly titled "Raindrops Keep Falling in My Tank," (You can't help but sing those words, can you?) covers all the basics. It also includes a sidebar on finding the right barrel for your garden, whether big or small. She even tells you where to buy them. I highly recommend the read.
As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Audubon has a long history of featuring articles about natural and organic gardening, including how to keep rain from going down the drain. To make it easy for you to find these water-related articles, I'm listing a sampling below. (You can also mine the magazine's archives for stories like these by going to audubonmagazine.org and entering a keyword in the search box.)
Be sure to hang around The Perch for more gardening tips from our expert contributors. See you soon.
"Good to the LAST drop"
By Janet Marinelli
Don't let that precious rain go down the drain. Here's how you can save water, reduce pollution, and help wildlife—all at the same time.
"Raising the Roof"
By Susan Tweit
Today city skylines are getting greener. Wildflowers and grasses are carpeting rooftops, soaking up storm water, cooling buildings, and providing habitat in the clouds.
"Homegrown Wetlands"
By John Manuel
For less than $250 you can construct an ornamental water garden that will also serve as a magnet for a variety of wildlife.
"So Lawn"
By James McCommons
Each year American homeowners, searching for green perfection, apply more than a million tons of toxic fertilizers and pesticides to their yards. A lot of those chemicals run off into waterways. But there’s a better way.