The Painted Pony Resort is rural and relies on septic tanks for waste. Waste is fed into septic tanks associated with each building with drainage fields for each. The location of the drainage field for the main house runs the length of the front garden. Although the drainage field is deep it does provide a layer of moisture under the garden making better use of irrigation water.
In addition to septic drain fields the estate also makes use of gray water. The guest laundry room in the guest house has a separate drain, not connected to the septic system, and instead drains out 175' north of the laundry room. Originally planted with some small trees which quickly died, I decided to resurrect the area with more appropriate desert plants to take advantage of this periodic water source. I initially settled on Agave, primarily because I had grown several specimens which were ready for transplanting and Agave can tolerate irregular watering, grow large, and would provide another species of plant on the estate. Once the Agave starts growing additional plants can be added to the area to create more color.
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| Agave planted downhill from laundry room gray water drain |
We have at least two kinds of agave and there is a beauty with stalk that I hope to use for a Christmas tree this year. [If a branch does not break off when it comes down] We had some for years until hubbie wanted a fake Christmas tree we bought at the Dollar store for half price one January sale.
ReplyDeleteoh and good for you using gray water!
ReplyDeleteI got these from DiAnn several years ago and have had them in buckets. I originally wanted to plant them by the entrance but noticed if they didn't get at least some supplemental watering they did not do so well. So the gray water discharge site should be an optimal location.
ReplyDeleteI believe in taking advantage of any resource I've got around here. I also use the 100 degree water from the south well for the pool in addition to the solar panels and of course use pruning waste for the topsoil barriers.
Yep, being in the middle of nowhere makes us save everything! Speaking of middle of nowhere, have you seen the road sign in Cotton City that says "Midla Nowhere" that sign gets stolen and replaced often LOL
ReplyDeleteI save everything out here, much to the owners chagrin, but find a use for the stuff. I did a photo of the idea while hiking in the Peloncillo Mountains several years back, http://www.panoramio.com/photo/48955538 , an old telegraph cross arm used for fencing.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that particular sign but then again I don't get to Cotton City often.
if you ever have to go to Lordsburg, to through Animas and on up through Cotton City and see the sign. Funny. we took a photo for a guy back in Rose, NY and I took our daughter-in-law Barbie by there.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep an eye out if I go that way. Local attractions around here range from the simple to the elaborate and access ranges from easy to darn near impossible. But there is something for everyone if your willing to look.
ReplyDeleteWe used to attend the County Commissioner's meetings in Lordsburg [before price of gasoline went so high] and maybe it was there we heard about that sign or maybe we just drove by it and heard about the sign thefts later...........can't remember how we heard about that sign but it's pretty funny AND accurate!
ReplyDeletePeople's sense of humor does manifest itself in some pretty strange ways that's for sure. But examples of creativity and humor is something we all express at one time or another. I suspect that life in the remote high desert is conducive to such humorous expressions.
ReplyDeleteWell I think you are doing a fantastic job
ReplyDeleteThank you DiAnn. You probably recognize the Agave since they were babies from your your plants at Mountain Valley Lodge which I've had growing in buckets before transplanting.
ReplyDeleteDiAnn ---- a blast from the past! She's off to NYC via Wisconsin, traveling with her sister..............she sure deserves to enjoy her retirement!
ReplyDeleteI agree. She worked hard to build Mountain Valley Lodge into a great business and after all that hard work she certainly deserves some fun.
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