Natural Gardens – An Alternative to Artificial Irrigation?!
Dr. Michael Henze has worked for more than 30 years in the environmental department of the Bundesverband Garten-, Landschafts- und Sportplatzbau e. V., based in Bad Honnef near Bonn. He focuses on topics such as nature conservation, the careful use of resources and strategies for adapting to climate change: “Before I get into the topic, there’s one thing I’d like to make clear. Those responsible for green spaces and garden owners can draw on a range of water sources for irrigation – that’s true. But they can also choose to create natural gardens with native and, ideally, drought-tolerant plants. This creates species-rich, flower-filled outdoor spaces that, once established, often need little or no additional irrigation. That’s resource-efficient and, in turn, highly sustainable.”You can find out more about the association and many other interesting topics on its website, which you can reach here (in German). If you’re interested in resilient plants such as climate trees and trees of the future, we also recommendour own blog article on the topic.
Advantages of Rainwater Irrigation Systems
Natural gardens, however, aren’t possible or desirable everywhere – that choice always depends on the specific use case. For green spaces that must be irrigated, water-sensitive planning is needed that brings rainwater management and biodiversity together. You can find out more about this in the association’s blog at this link (in German).
Using rainwater for irrigation in garden and landscape construction offers several advantages:
- Rainwater is lime-free, so no white limescale stains form on leaves, and plants are better protected from disruptions to nutrient uptake.
- Rainwater has an optimal pH value: it’s slightly acidic, which most plants prefer for healthy growth.
- Unlike tap water, rainwater contains no chlorine, fluoride or ozone.
- Rainwater is often at a temperature that’s pleasant for plants.
Ideally, rainwater is collected in cisterns. For distribution, systems from established manufacturers such as Hunter, Rain Bird and Netafim are well suited. Cities and municipalities need to develop overarching irrigation strategies that combine green roof and facade initiatives with the sponge city principle – an approach in which rainwater is stored, allowed to infiltrate and used on site. Anyone wanting to explore the topic further can find a detailed article on this in the association’s blog (in German).
The BGL at GaLaBau 2026
Of course, nothing beats a personal exchange of experience on site: “I invite representatives from municipalities, as well as interested landscape gardeners and green space planners, to visit our BGL stand at the GaLaBau trade fair in Nuremberg,” says Dr. Michael Henze. “My colleagues and I look forward to an engaging exchange. Visitors can also walk THE GREEN-BLUE PATH through several exhibition halls, which showcases innovative products as well as concepts for climate adaptation and climate-resilient cities. Exhibitors will be presenting practical, climate-friendly solutions for the garden and landscape construction sector.” Anyone wanting to find out in advance which companies will be represented at GaLaBau 2026 can do so via our exhibitor search. To learn more about THE GREEN-BLUE PATH, you’ll find further information on our website
