Dry as a Bone & Thirsty as a Camel

Normally in this column I give suggestions and hopefully worthy tips on gardening, but I don't have the solution for our parched earth problem. Therefore,  PLEASE comment with any suggestions that have been successful for you.

 My irrigation system consists of 3 garden hoses. With a home built in 1942, which has old galvanized pipes, I find the water pressure is awful and will barely support two hoses at the same time. I don't think it would support an irrigation system at all.  
 
Rain barrels have entered my mind, but without rain what good will that do?  A friend has an underground cistern but it is empty, so why go to that expense?
 
The neighbors have irrigation on a separate water meter so they do not have to pay for the sewage cost. That' s a good idea when trying to lower our new multi-tiered rate water bills.
 
I have thought about drilling a well. But that's so expensive and it is a gamble if you find water at all. Plus, is it earth friendly to rob from the water table? 

Would it be wise to consolidate plants and only have one or two garden beds versus and entire yard? Or should I just paint pictures of shrubs and flowers on my garden fence? 

So far, this is what I have done: gotten all the weeds out so they will not hog the water; put down mulch, mulch, and more mulch to assist in retaining what little moisture there is.  And I only water during the early morning and late evening hours. Click here for Athens Clarke County watering suggestions and restrictions.  

Long ago I learned not to try for summer grass. The third week of September I plant winter rye and have green grass until mid-May. You don't have to water winter rye and you only have to cut it about once a month.  Plus, it brightens my spirits on a blah winter day to look out the kitchen window and see a bright green back yard.

I, like many other gardening friends, have given up on trying to save the annuals.  We are just looking to save the bones of our garden...trees, shrubs and perennials. 

The attached photos will show several locations in Athens where the dogwoods are weeping and shrubs are dying. Some of the leaves are dropping from trees and Hickory nuts and pecans are prematurely falling to the ground.  

In pure frustration, I threw up my hands and said, what else can I do?  That is when I thought about finding Fred Birchmore. I saw him perform a rain dance at The Athens Kiwanis Club about eight years ago. 

At 99 years old, Mr. Birchmore said he learned the rain dance from the Seminole Indians back in the '30s or 40s when he was visiting Marco Island, Florida. "It works some of the time" said Birchmore. "While I was performing the rain dance for a school in Madison County one day, out came a loud clap of thunder and all the students got wet."    

I don't know if Mr. Birchmore is still physically able to perform his rain dance, so if any of you know the particular steps, please come teach me. I am willing to try ANYTHING.