Retriever And Sydney Water’s ‘Love Your Garden’ Program

Retriever Communications, working in cooperation with Sydney Water, has released a You Tube video about the field inspection program – Love Your Garden. Each garden has its own watering needs and these can now be assessed to reduce water ‘wasted’ on gardens all around Sydney. How? A PWF reader tells us that you assess the various unique aspects…

First, About Retriever

Founded in 1996, Retriever is the Australian developer of an electronic system for mobile field automation. The company’s goal is to improve field worker productivity with a reliable, easy to use product.

Products are tailored to mirror a company’s current work-order system and provide electronic job details, maps and price lists to staff on the road – faster and more effective than traditional paper-based information and dispatch services.

Today twenty per cent of Retriever’s annual revenue is derived from exports and with assistance from AusIndustry they are now exporting to North Asia and Europe, with an overseas office in France.

Wise Watering, Smart Gardening Program

For a discounted fee, Sydney Water’s Love Your Garden service aims to help people get the most from their garden while saving water. Extensive trials have shown that most participants could save water and improve the health of their garden even during the current drought.

What’s involved?

A qualified horticulturist will visit and evaluate your garden’s precise watering needs. They will look at things like:

• soil type and quality
• position of plants and trees
• type of lawn
• how much sunlight and shade your garden gets
• aspect (the slope of your lawn and garden).

What’s provided?

The horticulturist will give you smart watering tools, tailored to your garden, including a rain gauge and Tap Tags©.

Two weeks later you will receive a detailed report that outlines your garden’s watering needs and also includes vouchers for water saving products and services.

How much does it cost?

The cost depends the size of your block of land. The following would normally cost around $170:

• Expert advice from a qualified horticulturist – $80
• Installation of a rain gauge and Tap Tags© – $40
• Full report including vouchers for water saving products and services – $50.

BUT with the Love Your Garden program…

• If your block size is 1200m2 or less the service will cost $33
• For block over 1200m2, the service will cost $55.

How do you take part?

Phone 1800 354 106 between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday WITH your Sydney Water Account number.