Replace the excess lawn with hardy groundcovers, a water-wise flowerbed or interesting paving. Water correctly Most people over-water their gardens. Watering depends on your soil type, irrigation equipment, the weather and the type of plant. To determine the soil type, simply squeeze some damp soil in your hand and roll it into a sausage. With sandy soils, water drains quickly beyond the reach of the plant roots and these soil therefore require short, frequent watering.
Clay soil has a high water-holding capacity, so it is best to give a deep watering, less often.
Group plant with similar requirement together and adjust watering according to their needs. Do not water automatically, first check whether the soil is dry With trees and shrubs, rather water copiously less often so that the roots are encouraged to grow deeper. But you may also be tempted to try some plants from other parts of the world which have similar climates. In the Western Cape, many beautiful plants from other mediterranean areas such as rosemary, lavender, thyme, cyperus and myrtle grow well with a minimum of water. But always be careful to avoid exotic plants which have the potential to invade natural areas in South Africa like hakea, Port Jackson, lantana and black wattle.