Irrigation project: 12 × 8.5 m garden with 4 zones
Lawn 75 m², shrub bed 15 m², Mediterranean plant corner 10 m², vegetable garden 8 m². 3.1 bar pressure, 22 L/min flow rate, Wi-Fi controller with evapotranspiration.
Garden description and starting data
Garden layout
- Rectangular lawn: 12 m × 6.5 m = 78 m²
- Deciduous shrub bed (north-west): 5 m × 3 m = 15 m²
- Mediterranean plant corner (south-east): 3.5 m × 3 m = 10.5 m²
- Fenced vegetable garden (back of garden): 4 m × 2 m = 8 m²
Water data
- Static pressure: 3.1 bar
- Measured dynamic pressure: 2.5 bar
- Maximum flow rate: 10 liters in 27 seconds = 22.2 L/min
With 2.5 bar dynamic pressure and Rain Bird 5000 sprinklers with a nominal 5 m radius at 2.5 bar, estimated head losses are 0.5–0.7 bar: pressure at the sprinklers about 1.8–2.0 bar, effective radius about 4.5 m.
The 4 hydrozones: needs and frequency
| Zone | Plant type | Summer | Spring/Fall | Winter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Lawn | Bermuda grass, fescue | 4–5×/week, 20 min | 2–3×/week, 12 min | suspended |
| 2 — Shrubs | Roses, hydrangeas, pittosporum | 2–3×/week, 35 min | 1–2×/week, 20 min | suspended |
| 3 — Mediterranean | Lavender, rosemary, sage | 1×/week, 25 min | 0–1×/week | suspended |
| 4 — Vegetable garden | Tomatoes, zucchini, basil | daily, 20 min | 1×/day if no rain | suspended |
Each zone has a separate solenoid valve. Zones 3 and 4 use drippers with a pressure regulator; zones 1 and 2 use pop-up sprinklers.
Zone 1 sprinkler layout (12×6.5 m lawn)
With an effective 4.5 m radius, the head-to-head grid over 12 m needs at least 3 sprinklers per long side and 2 per short side.
- 4 sprinklers at 90° in the corners
- 4 sprinklers at 180°: 2 at the center of the long sides, 1 at the center of the north short side, 1 at the center of the south short side
- 1 sprinkler at 360° at the center of the lawn
Total: 9 sprinklers. Total zone 1 flow: 9 × 1.9 L/min = 17.1 L/min. With 22 L/min available, the circuit is at 78%: acceptable.
Zones 2, 3, 4: dripper layout
Zone 2 (shrubs, 15 m²): 12 self-compensating drippers at 4 L/h placed at the base of each shrub. 16 mm PE pipe around the bed perimeter, stake branches to the shrubs. 1 bar regulator mandatory.
Zone 3 (Mediterranean, 10.5 m²): 18 drippers at 2 L/h for smaller plants. 16 mm PE drip line snaking across the area. Same regulator line.
Zone 4 (vegetable garden, 8 m²): in-line drip tape with 35 cm spacing, 18 m total across 4 rows of 4 m. Tape flow: about 1.5 L/h per meter = 27 L/h total = 0.45 L/min. Watering at 6:30 AM every morning in summer.
Complete materials list
| Component | Qty | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| Rain Bird 5000 rotating pop-up sprinkler (5 m radius, 90°) | 4 | €12–18 each |
| Rain Bird 5000 rotating pop-up sprinkler (5 m radius, 180°) | 4 | €12–18 each |
| Rain Bird 5000 rotating pop-up sprinkler (5 m radius, 360°) | 1 | €12–18 each |
| Self-compensating dripper 4 L/h (large shrubs) | 12 | €1.80 each |
| Self-compensating dripper 2 L/h (herbs, perennials) | 18 | €1.50 each |
| In-line drip tape 35 cm spacing (vegetable garden) | 18 m | €1.20/m |
| PE 32 mm PN6 pipe (main line) | 12 m | €2.20/m |
| PE 25 mm PN6 pipe (secondary branches zones 1–2) | 42 m | €1.30/m |
| PE 16 mm PN6 pipe (branches and zones 3–4) | 38 m | €0.65/m |
| 1" 24V solenoid valve (zones 1 and 2) | 2 | €20–28 each |
| 3/4" 24V solenoid valve (zones 3 and 4) | 2 | €16–22 each |
| 1 bar pressure regulator (drip zones) | 2 | €9–14 each |
| 4-zone Wi-Fi controller with ET (Rachio 3) | 1 | €120–160 |
| 1" mesh filter with pressure gauge | 1 | €12–18 |
| Buried valve box (4-way manifold) | 1 | €30–45 |
| Assorted fittings and hardware | kit | €35–55 |
Estimated materials cost: €450–700. The Rachio 3 controller saves up to 30–40% of water thanks to automatic ET.
Why use a Wi-Fi controller in this project
With 4 zones and very different plant types, manual scheduling would require frequent updates throughout the season. The ET controller downloads local weather data every day and automatically reduces or skips irrigation when it has rained or temperatures are low.
The extra cost compared to a basic controller (a €60–80 difference) is typically recovered within one season. UCANR studies on Mediterranean climates document 20–44% reductions in irrigated water volume with ET-based systems compared to fixed-schedule controllers.
Generate the project for your garden
These examples show typical scenarios. Use SprinklerMap to calculate a precise layout, pressures and materials list for your real situation.