I am a bit eco freako and have a water meter. I am always careful about watering. I use drink bottles with the bottom end cut off, upended in the soil at the base of some plants and shrubs. A few small stones under the mouth of the bottle help fast dispersal of water. I anything flags I give it the bottle treatment. I pick the bottles up in the street, some who live round me are not very tidy. I try to water so that it never runs out the bottom of a big pot. I water smaller pots I can safely handle when watered from the bottom. I use a a rubber trug under the water butt tap. I seldom use a hose. I use water crystals to retain water round roots. I can't carry a heavy can of water, so I use 2 litre plastic watering cans and get some more exercise. I also mulch vulnerable plants with spent soil from my numerous pots. I use eco liquid to wash up and chuck it on the garden where it is needed. Not onto pots.

I empty bath water on the garden when we have a hose pipe ban

In the hosepipe ban and drought of 1976 I used bath water, rinsing water from the twin-tub washing machine and soapy washing-up water on my garden. I had no aphids on my roses - the washing-up liquid saw to that - and the bonus was not only a colourful garden with a soft green lawn for my daughters to play on, but self-seeded tomato plants from all the salads we ate. Go for it!

Thanks for all the useful information.I am going to follow it.Exercise will be good to toi-ng and fro-ing with the water.Barbara