Making best use of water – Our work continues

The use of water to irrigate our cemeteries in North Africa and across the Mediterranean is something we closely scrutinise. It’s not just vital for our plants – we know it’s a precious resource for everyone.

In Tunisia, at Massicault War Cemetery, we are working on a new solution to make better use of what is available. The current irrigation system is more than 25 years old and has reached the end of its life.

This gives us a timely opportunity to adapt as best as we can to the changing weather patterns and unpredictable rainfall we’re sadly having to get used to as a result of climate change. By using the latest technology, we will be able to remotely control the watering, quickly responding to changes in the weather and allowing us to more accurately monitor what’s being used.

Caption: Responsible water use is key to preserving horticulture in North Africa

Additions such as pop up sprinklers help us to direct water to only where it’s needed. The next stage of this upgrade will involve bore holes to check the lay of the land, before the final plans are given the green light.

These changes don’t happen overnight, but by looking at the latest equipment and constantly re-evaluating our processes, we’re seeking to always do more with less of this precious resource we all rely on.

Garden waste to cancer medicine

It’s not just water we have to be careful with. The green waste and cuttings from our cemeteries need to be responsibly dealt with too. Here in The Netherlands our gardeners have an excellent use for these clippings from Eindhoven (Woensel) General Cemetery.

The plant they are pruning is yew, and cuttings can be used in the development of medicines to treat cancer. The team here are all too happy to donate locally to this good cause and carefully collect up the cuttings as they work.

Not all the garden waste we create can be put to such uses, but all around the world our gardeners have their own systems for composting and reusing the nutrient rich by-products of our regular maintenance towards keeping our horticulture vibrant and healthy.