Watering at the Farm Using Gilmour Hoses and Sprinklers
We're finally getting some much-needed rain here in the Northeast. It rained over the weekend, last night, and we're expecting more showers and scattered thunderstorms throughout today with temperatures in the upper 70s.
Until now, it's been very warm, humid, and quite dry. And with so many gardens to water, the sprinklers at my farm have been very busy. To keep all the trees, shrubs, and plants well irrigated, I use a number of hoses and sprinklers. One of my favorite sources is Gilmour, a Madison, Wisconsin-based company that’s been manufacturing watering equipment for more than 65-years. I use their products at my home in Bedford, at Lily Pond in East Hampton, and at Skylands in Maine.
Enjoy these photos.
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- This is my long pergola underplanted with clematis, boxwood, and other perennials including many, many lilies, which are just beginning to bloom. Now that it is dry and warm, we have to do lots of watering to keep all the gardens looking their best. Fortunately, I have two deep wells – all of the hoses and bibs are connected to an elaborate underground irrigation system.
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- My flower cutting garden also needs watering, especially this season with all its gorgeous colorful blossoms.
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- When it is dry, the gorgeous hedge of purple columnar beech needs a good drink to retain its deep-purple foliage all season.
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- All the container plants outside my home are checked every single day for dryness and watered when needed.
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- Here is one of my newest gardens at the farm – my lily and hosta bed in front of the main greenhouse. It will also have many beautiful lilies in bloom soon.
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- And here’s my Summer House garden with all the boxwood, ginkgo, Siberian weeping Siberian pea shrubs, Cotinus, and perennial flowers, which all must be watered by hand or sprinkler when it doesn’t rain.
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- Gilmour has a very durable collection of gardening supplies – these are always put to great use in the gardens and wherever thorough watering is needed. The Gilmour 50-foot Flexogen hose is a heavy-duty eight-ply garden hose with a polished surface that resists abrasions, stains, and mildew. I have these hoses all over the farm and at my other homes in East Hampton and Maine.
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- Gilmour’s supplies include a variety of sprinklers and hoses as well as other watering solutions.
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- And everything is made to last. The hose in front is brand new, while the ones in the back are a few years old and still in perfect condition.
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- Here at Bedford, every single spigot has a hose and at least one sprinkler nearby ready to be used. This set-up is on the backside of my carport underneath a row of bird feeders and next to my dwarf apple espalier.
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- This one is in my vegetable garden – the hose is rolled up and ready to move to where it is needed.
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- And this brand new hose is located just outside my Winter House porch behind one of the giant boxwood shrubs on the terrace parterre.
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- This hose is removed to show the rack – some of you may remember it from one of my old retail collections – so decorative and so durable. It has lasted for many years.
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- Phhurba is checking that every hose is ready to use and in good working order. As I always say, “the right tool for the right job” and everything in its place.
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- I love these tripod sprinklers – the height, distance, and spray patterns can be adjusted to suit so many garden needs. They’re also very, very sturdy, and because they’re all metal, they can stand up to frequent use around the property.
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- This is one of several tripod sprinklers in my large orchard. Every day when I go out to check on the gardens and pets, I move many of the sprinklers myself, so every tree gets a good drink.
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- And here is one set up and in use in my Pinetum. The adjustable tripod can reach a height of 58-inches and has spiked feet to keep it stable on gravel, grass, or soil. Look how far the sprinkler can reach – and the spray is very consistent.
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- This tripod is angled to spray just above the tallest plantings in the dwarf apple espalier behind the carport.
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- The collars of these tripod sprinklers can be adjusted for partial to full circle coverage, and each sprinkler’s pin diffuser allows for a customized spray from a powerful jet to a gentle mist. The round dial on top makes it easy to set the direction and length of spray.
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- Once the watering in one area is done, it’s important to turn off the water at the source. Just turning off at the sprinkler puts a lot of pressure on the hoses and pipes.
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- Gilmour also makes oscillating sprinklers that are easy to control in a variety of areas. This is an Adjustable Rectangular Sprinkler. This sprinkler is very handy for use in small and large yards. I use several around the farm for gently watering ground covering plants and lawns. Mornings are the best times to water – when water pressure is high, evaporation is low, and the soil can absorb the water before the sun heats up the ground.
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- Here is another hose located on the lower terrace parterre at my Winter House – again with a sprinkler, so it’s always within reach. After the season, all these supplies are cleaned and stored.
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- During the summer, a good watering is done to a depth of about six to eight inches. It is still early in the season, but I hope all your gardens are getting the water they need.
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