This hosepipe ban loophole for lawns could rescue your garden this summer – what you need to know about the rules

by Furnishly | Jul 15, 2025 | Design Inspiration

Even more hosepipe bans have just been announced across England, but we’ve spotted one loophole – and it’s to do with new lawns.

If you’re familiar with hosepipe ban rules, you’ll know there are a few exceptions – and if you’ve just had new turf laid, or you’ve sown a new lawn, you can use a hose despite the restrictions. There are a few caveats, though – and you can only use a hosepipe to water your lawn for a set window, even if it’s brand-new.

Here’s what you need to know – because each water company uses slightly different wording.

New turf

Figuring out when to lay turf is one thing, but if you’ve timed it so that it clashes with the newly announced hosepipe bans under Yorkshire Water, Thames Water and South East Water, you’re probably worrying that all your efforts will go to waste.

Well, don’t fret – there’s a hosepipe ban loophole that allows you to water your freshly-laid turf for up to 28 days. Exact rules vary by region, though.

‘Under the terms of the hosepipe restrictions, you can water newly laid turf for 28 days with a hosepipe,’ says Yorkshire Water on its website.

Thames Water is a little more specific with their wording around this hosepipe ban loophole, advising customers that, ‘You can only use a hose or sprinkler if the laying, sowing or planting was completed by a business as a service.’

If your turf fits the bill, the same 28-day rule applies ‘from the day of planting, sowing or turf laying’. You just need to make sure you’re only using your hosepipe to water the new turf, and nowhere else in the garden.

South East Water is even more particular about this hosepipe ban loophole, specifying that you can use a hosepipe for ‘watering of new lawns at domestic premises, where this cannot reasonably be undertaken with a watering can and the turf was laid before the on set of the ban, for a period of 4 weeks after being laid.’ You’ll also need to avoid daily peak hours, which cover 8am to 10pm and 5pm to 9pm.

Beyond those 28 days, there are other ways to look after your lawn during a hosepipe ban – you’ll just need to make sure you’re not using a hosepipe, but a watering can or correctly configured drip watering system are great alternatives.

Fresh grass seed

If you’ve just learned how to overseed your lawn, Yorkshire Water and Thames Water state that this hosepipe ban loophole extends to freshly-sown grass seed as well (in Thames Water’s case, if it was sown by a business as a service).

‘You can water your grass seed for the first 28 days with a hosepipe,’ says Yorkshire Water. ‘After that, you’ll need to use a watering can. Please use the hosepipe sparingly and try to use it for a short amount of time.’

That said, though, there are plenty of other ways to water your garden during a hosepipe ban that don’t require a hosepipe – and water companies are encouraging us to seek other alternatives wherever possible.

‘We would hope that anyone who needs to [use a hosepipe to water new turf] would respect the spirit of the restrictions and consider how you can use water wisely whilst doing so,’ Yorkshire Water says.

This hosepipe ban loophole can save our freshly laid lawns, as long as they meet the criteria. If you’re unsure, it’s always best to double-check with your water company first, just to be on the safe side.

Hosepipe bans have been issued for 7 million UK homes – these are all the affected areas

by Furnishly | Jul 15, 2025 | Design Inspiration

The first hosepipe bans are coming into effect across the UK, following a third heatwave. These are the areas currently affected and how they apply to you.

You may have been wondering what is a hosepipe ban and the short answer is: it’s a ban on using a hosepipe connected to a mains water supply at your property. These typically come into effect after extended periods of low rainfall and are essentially a drought-prevention measure.

Right now, seven million Brits, that’s around 10% of the population, are facing hosepipe ban restrictions, with Yorkshire Water’s coming into effect last Friday (11 July). Both South East Water and Thames Water are implementing bans in the coming days. If you’ve been wondering, ‘Have I got a hosepipe ban?’, this is everything you need to know.

Yorkshire Water

Yorkshire Water was the first utility company to implement a hosepipe ban this year, with the ban affecting 5.5 million customers across the region.

This follows the driest spring in the UK since 1893, with Yorkshire Water reporting they hadn’t seen their reservoir levels increase since the last week of January. The ban, also known as a temporary usage ban, affects those who have their freshwater supplies from Yorkshire Water. If Yorkshire Water deals with your wastewater but not your freshwater supply, the ban does not apply to you.

The hosepipe ban prevents customers from using a hosepipe to water their garden or plants, cleaning, cars, patios, their home, windows and pathways, filling a paddling pool, hot tub, plunge pool or swimming pool and filling or maintaining a domestic pond or ornamental fountain.

If you’re wondering how to look after your lawn during a hosepipe ban, you can still carry out the aforementioned activities if you use a bucket or watering can, or use water that has not been sourced from mains water, such as a water butt.

South East Water

The second water to implement a ban will be South East Water. Coming into effect on 18 July (this Friday), 1.4 million people across Kent and Sussex are likely to be affected. The company will also monitor the situation in the parts of Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey that it supplies.

‘Demand for drinking water in Kent and Sussex has reached record levels since May – with the ongoing warm and dry weather, we’re all using far more water than usual,’ the company said in a statement.

‘This situation has left us with no choice but to restrict the use of hose pipes and sprinklers, so we can help our reservoirs and underground water storage recover.’

South East Water implemented the same ban in the summers of 2022 and 2023.

Thames Water

Coming into effect next Tuesday (22 July), Thames Water’s temporary usage ban is going to affect much of Swindon, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Wiltshire. The restriction will affect 1.1 million people with postcodes beginning OX, GL, SN, RG4, RG8 and RG9.

‘This has been a challenging spring and summer with big spikes in customer demand during hot dry days and very little rainfall to replenish local supplies in the Thames Valley,’ said Nevil Muncaster, strategic water resources director at Thames Water.

‘Given the continued warm, dry weather, we do not anticipate that the situation will improve any time soon, so we have to take action now.’

If you’re not supplied by Yorkshire Water, South East Water or the postcodes stated by Thames Water, this ban does not apply to you. However, I recommend keeping an eye on updates from your water company, as more are expected to follow suit.

Whether your water company decides to impose a hosepipe ban depends on three things: local reservoir water levels, customer demand, and low amounts of rainfall. In the meantime, looking for ways to save water will help you get ready for any further hot weather or droughts this summer.

Garden experts reveal how to achieve Wimbledon’s luscious lawn at home – all you need is this £16 product that ‘makes water wetter’

by Furnishly | Jul 11, 2025 | Design Inspiration

If you’ve been wondering how Wimbledon have been keeping its grass so pristine in such hot weather, then you’ve landed in the right place as it has been revealed the Wimbledon team use a wetting agent that ‘makes water wetter’, and you can also pick up a version, such as this Premium Wetting Agent (£15.99 at Amazon) for happier, healthier lawn.

There’s no denying that scorching weather can ruin your lawn ideas, leaving you with ugly brown patches. But don’t worry, you can revive a dry lawn, and a wetting agent is something the pros use to do this.

As reported by The Guardian, Neil Stubley, Wimbledon’s head of courts and horticulture, revealed that groundskeepers use a special wetting agent that helps grass absorb moisture more easily. While I haven’t been able to track down exactly what wetting agent the team uses (I’m sure this will remain top secret), I have asked the pros to explain how to use a wetting agent at home. This is what they said.

What is a wetting agent?

Now, a wetting agent doesn’t exactly ‘make water wetter’ (as Neil stated in the press), what they do is help water soak more effectively into the soil, preventing it from running off or forming puddles.

‘Wetting agents specifically for lawns work by reducing surface tension in soil water so that water is able to penetrate and spread across the soil more efficiently, which improves how available it is to plants and can reduce water usage. They do not reduce the need for watering, but instead make it easier for water to penetrate the soil and for the soil to hold onto it,’ explains Richard Barker, commercial director of LBS Horticulture.

‘Applying a wetting agent before a heatwave can help to prepare your lawn for the lower amount of moisture that will be available. It can also help to improve the water absorption of the soil and help water to be distributed more evenly.’

For the healthiest lawn, you should use a wetting agent alongside best lawn care practices such as scarifying and aerating your lawn in the spring and autumn and keeping on top of mowing, watering and reseeding in the summer.

Should you use a wetting agent in summer?

It’s important to note that wetting agents are typically used for professional lawns, such as golf greens, which have finer grass, but this doesn’t mean you can’t use them at home. And they’re easy to use too, all you need to do is spray the formula over your lawn and let the product do the rest.

‘I do recommend using a wetting agent during hot spells, especially if your lawn is showing signs of water repellence or you notice water running off. It’s a smart way to make the most of limited water and keep your grass in better shape,’ says Luke Newnes, new build gardening specialist, gardening content creator and member of the Interior Squad at Hillarys.

‘Wetting agents can be especially useful during a hosepipe ban, as they help any water you do use, from a watering can, go much further. It’s a practical tool to help your lawn survive dry spells when watering is restricted.’

A wetting agent can give your lawn an extra boost in extreme temperatures, keeping it happy, healthy and well-hydrated.