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"If you try and water them the water just runs off into the street."That demonstrates just how water behaves especially in such hot dry weather and how we can get flash flooding - or how water leaking into buildings can be found nowhere near where it is actually getting in! (I'm not suggesting that you are responsible for it - it's just that many people just don't actually see or stop and think to realise!!)  I see your frustration!  I saw Tessa's!Ealing seems to have some agreement with a charity called Trees for Cities and there is a label attached to the support poles of new trees asking local residents to help look after the trees with a QR code (which I incidentally  can't read). These trees do have an underground pipe. I've seen the bags attached to trees elsewhere with care info for local residents - including I think Dukes Meadows? It astounds me how some people seem to be totally oblivious to thirsty plants even when they are in the house and they constantly walk past them.  (I live with one and I also live with basil plants which are quick to wilt and to perk up again and when planted with tomatoes are a useful indication of when water is needed!)  This resilience of the basil plants has meant that I can manage to keep them alive all winter. Broken off stalks will also grow roots easily when placed in water. Not so trees.Gardens with more composted matter in the soil will accept a lot more water without it running off and away....If you live nearby it doesn't take much effort to give a tree a drink.  Roots do need to be encouraged to grow down though find their own water.  I've pinched some empty 4 pint plastic milk screw top cartons with handles from my son just to carry water up and down stairs to water pots as a watering can is too heavy.Perhaps HH can be persuaded to put underground pipes in when they plant trees - if not water bags which I suspect are more expensive?  And maybe partner with a charity like Trees for Cities?

Philippa Bond ● 8d