Put plants with similar water needs together.

Placing plants with similar water needs together means that you can look after the tender ones a bit more closely while letting the tough ones cope in their drier areas.
This is a simple measure to take for reducing water use in gardens but it is not often repeated to the public gardener. In my work I find that if people have reticulation in their gardens then everything gets the same amount whether it needs it or not. They just water because its easy. When I suggest they turn off a section I get a look of surprise, "Oh, but thats too hard!"
With a little planning and consideration of plant water needs you can pretty much ignore sections of the garden. Tough, drought tolerant plants actually prefer not to be watered too often. They will go soft and can rot if given too much.
For instance, keep all the succulents and cactus in the sunniest areas, so they can be watered once a week or fortnight, or even less. In another area place all your vegetable and herbs; these need much more water so they should also be near the tap if possible so you see them and remember to look after them better.
Many plants once established over one summer will survive on little or no summer watering, especially if the plants are shading the ground beneath them. Allowing leaf litter to build up is great as leaves will break down and feed the soil.
Grouping pots is another time where similar watern needs is important. Some things need a lot, so keep the pots sheltered from strong sunlight to keep the soil and roots cool. Sturdy desert plants, such as agaves and yuccas, seem to make good lone pot plants that can be neglected.

Reuse sink water.
Plants that are nearest the kitchen can be given water from rinsing or from cold water collected while waiting for the hot washing water.

Wild wooly winter is here.

Perth is getting some rain. Not floods, like the east coast has been receiving, but some decent fills of regular rain. It seems like a lot to me, because you don't get much here these days.
The plants all look happy. Our rocket and parsley patches have gone ballistic. Lots of fresh greens!
So far, in this area we haven't been storm affected. It was pretty windy here on the hill the other day and night, but this place is pretty well protected by the roof of next door. It sends the winds over the top and probably sends it up to the landlords veranda two houses up!
One plant that has sustained damage was one of the trunks of our tall San Pedro cactus. It refused to bend any further and snapped.
Deciduous trees drop their leaves at quite different rates. The edible fig down the back lost all its leaves within a day or so. The powton leaves are mostly still attached, despite the battering it took.

It would have been a good week for filling a rainwater tank. At least our soil is pretty open and allows the rainfall to fall through, hopefully back to the aquifer.
One of the only things that is any good about lawns is that they allow water infiltration, as long as they have used a wetting agent or forked it recently.

Cactus babies.
I've been making a few cactus and succulent babies lately. Mainly just separating the little ones out from the parent. It's an easy way to increase plants and hopefully I can sell some at the local car-boot sales.
The dragon fruit is easy to propagate and easy to grow, so I'm keen to get a few of those out into folk's gardens. The fruit are quite yummy.

Sitting here looking out the window at the garden makes me think I might go out there for a while and have a wander around.

San Pedro cactus in flower.

This stunning, rather tall and successful cactus has been threatening us with flower buds for a few months now and has decided to suddenly flower.

5 flowers were out this morning when I noticed it and then after night fell I thought I'd check again, and there were another 7 out.
Stunning.