CULT: gardens, artificiality

I really enjoyed what Anner said about the philosophy of gardening:

"There is some wonderful stuff out there. But the tradition of making pleasure
gardens and assembling plant collections- associated, but not invariably the
same thing- is a very long one, and people have always sought to push the
limits or remake their conditions to suit the plants that interest them. For
some, indeed, that is the sport of it all"

There is one caveat, though--the question of water.  I have now lived through 
several minor droughts, lasting 3 years or less, both in California and here 
in New Mexico.  I have learned to treat water as precious and to be used 
always with the thought that I am using something that is not renewed at near 
the rate we are using it.  People who come into this area seem to have a 
difficult time understanding this and insist on installing lush gardens and 
lovely bluegrass lawns.  

Historically, this area (Utah, Colorado, NM, Arizona) has been subject to 
major droughts of up to twenty five years in length.  Will it take something 
like that to make us stop wasting water on our gardens, or will we learn to 
use it wisely?

Barb, in Santa Fe, where I'm thinking 'way too hard this afternoon.
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