Be prepared for the next drought or hosepipe ban, and keep down your bills if you’re on a water meter by collecting rainwater to use in your garden. It’s easy, cheap and, of course, the greener way to garden.

Why use rainwater on my garden?

The good news is that, as well as being free, using collected rainwater is actually better for your plants than the treated water that comes out of your tap. Collected rainwater is also a renewable resource, which gives you lots of ‘green’ brownie points. A hosepipe can use up to 15 litres of water a minute! And according to the Low Carbon Diet, using collected rainwater could save up to £200 on your water bills.

How can I collect rainwater?

The simplest way is to set up a water butt and collect the water that comes down the drainpipes at the side of your house. Simply attach a Rainwater Diverter (around £8) between the pipe and your water butt.

Where can I position my water butt?

If you’re using a rainwater diverter from a drainpipe, it needs to go next to your house. Or you can set it next to a garden shed to collect rainwater from its guttering. If you have a large garden, a water butt near your vegetable plot or potting shed may be more convenient.

What kind of water butt?

• The space you have available for a water butt will be a main consideration, but generally go for the biggest one you can. You’ll find some waterbutts that are designed to sit flush against the house wall, or even be mounted on the wall, which are perfect for small gardens or side entrances. If you have room, a large rainwater tank can hold 700 litres of rainwater.

• A water butt with a tap will cost a little extra, but it’s so much easier to fill up your watering can than trying to dip it in the top of the water butt!

• It’s even possible to add on an irrigation kit (around £10) to your water butt, which will keep dripping water from your water butt onto a border, pots or baskets.

• A securely fitted lid is essential to keep children and animals safe. It will also stop debris and mosquitoes getting into your water. There’s a good choice of child-friendly water butts available.

• Like Henry Ford "you can have any colour you like as long as it’s black" – water butts have generally been available in one colour – green. But if your water butt is in plain sight – on your patio for instance, it’s now possible to buy one that looks like an old wooden water butt, one that emulates a large terracotta pot – or even a wooden water butt.

• Make sure your water butt is on a solid base. It may need to be set up on blocks so that you can get a watering can underneath the tap. Get your measurements right before cutting the drainpipe to fix your rainwater diverter!

• Water butts that include water filters, which stop the rainwater clogging watering can roses, sprinkler nozzles or pumps, are also available.