There is one thing I have noticed about water restrictions in
Melbourne. When people's lawns die out they are replaced by weeds and
large bare patches. The overall effect is to make the garden look
exceedingly bad. People just give up tending it altogether since no
matter what you do it will look bad.

Many gardens in my suburb were showpieces - now they look like the kind
of gardens that yobbo's have. When I drive across Melbourne at the end
of summer I see a parched strangled looking city that is a shadow of
its former self. Clearly it is a city that has lost its pride. State
Governments used to call Victoria the garden state. You'll note that
this description has dissapeared from the lexicon. It would be a joke
to continue using it.

There appears to be a change afoot regarding gardens, especially lawns.
Peter Cundall recently said something to the effect that lawns are a
thing of the past and appearred to be endorsing the new parched look of
Australian cities. I suspect he hasnt had sex in a long time.

New drought hardy gardens are being pushed. These generally consist of
large areas of gravel and half strangled looking flax type plants that
you see in deserts. I am reminded of a scene in the movie "Sparticus"
where Kirk Douglas is working in some sort of open cut mine. All you
see is gravel gravel gravel. These type of gardens are appalling - when
you compare them to a traditional garden like Melbourne's botanical
gardens the effect is stark.

What worries me is what fate lies in store for my garden. I have
invested a lot of time in it and take pride in it. In addition, it is
the only way I have of expressing my creativity. It's my own little
patch of the world that I regard as a tranquil refuge from a world
that's spinning off its hinges.Now it would seem that I am destined to
have a yobbo style garden or else one of those appalling gravel themed
gardens.