Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance

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Oswald Holland
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1 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance INTRODUCTION This survey is designed to improve the use and effectiveness of rain gardens. We are asking green industry professionals to tell us about their experiences with rain gardens to help develop strategies to encourage the adoption of functional and practical rain gardens. It is funded by a grant from the Washington State Department of Agriculture Nursery License Surcharge Fund. INSTRUCTIONS: The survey will take about 15 minutes to complete. Please read and respond to the items on this survey based on your experiences with and knowledge of rain gardens. You do not need to respond to every question, but the more questions you answer, the more helpful your responses will be to the researchers. Your responses are completely anonymous. We thank you for your time and your willingness to participate. CONSENT: We will assume that you are at least 18 years old and that you agree to allow us to use your anonymous responses if you submit a survey. QUESTIONS: If you have questions about the survey, contact either of these researchers: DR. VIRGINIA LOHR Department of Horticulture Washington State University Pullman, WA lohr@wsu.edu DR. RITA HUMMEL WSU Puyallup Research & Extension Center 2606 West Pioneer Puyallup, WA hummelrl@wsu.edu 1

2 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance PART I. Questions about your business or place of employment 1. What is the primary focus of your business or place of employment? [Check only one] Landscape design Landscape installation Landscape maintenance Plant production Sales Education Government: Federal/State/Local 2. What else does your business or place of employment do? [Check all that apply] Landscape design Landscape installation Landscape maintenance Plant production Sales Education Government: Federal/State/Local 2

3 3. Is your business or your place of employment involved with any of the following rain garden activities? [Check all that apply] Rain garden design Rain garden installation Rain garden maintenance Rain garden regulation 4. About how much of the work of your business or your place of employment relates to each of the following rain garden activities? 0% 1-5% 5-10% 10-30% 30-50% 50-75% % Rain garden design: Rain garden installation: Rain garden maintenance: Rain garden regulation: 5. In the past two years ago, has the portion of the work of your business or your place of employment related to rain gardens changed? Yes, work with rain gardens has increased (please explain below) Yes, work with rain gardens has decreased (please explain below), work with rain gardens has remained about the same Please explain about how much your business related to rain gardens has changed in the last 2 years and why: 3

4 6. What areas of Washington State does your business or your place of employment serve? [Check all that apply] Greater Seattle (King County) rth Puget Sound (Island, Snohomish counties, etc.) South Puget Sound (Pierce, Thurston counties, etc.) Kitsap/Olympic Peninsula (Clallam, Grays Harbor counties, etc.) Southwest WA (Clark, Cowlitz counties, etc.) Central Washington (Benton, Chelan counties, etc.) Eastern Washington (Spokane, Whitman counties, etc.) 4

5 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance PART II. Questions about yourself 1. What is your position? 2. Have you worked with rain gardens in Washington State? Yes (please enter about how many years): 3. Have you worked with rain gardens in places other than Washington State? Yes (please enter about how many years and list where): 4. Have you had training about designing, installing, or maintaining rain gardens? [Check all that apply] 1 course or program 2 or 3 courses or programs 4 or more courses or programs Self-taught Other (please describe): 5

6 5. Have you ever designed rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 6. Have you ever designed landscapes other than rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 7. Have you ever installed rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 8. Have you ever installed landscapes other than rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 9. Have you ever maintained rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 6

7 10. Have you ever maintained landscapes other than rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 11. Have you ever ever been involved with regulating rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 12. Have you ever been involved with regulating landscapes other than rain gardens? Yes (please enter about how many years): 7

8 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance PART III. Questions about rain garden maintenance INSTRUCTIONS: You will be asked to consider the following questions about each of 16 different rain garden maintenance activities. a. When maintaining a typical rain garden, about how do you do each activity? b. For effective appearance and functioning of a rain garden, in your opinion, how should each or does each need to be done? c. To have rain gardens widely accepted and appreciated by the public and green industry professionals, in your opinion, how likely is each item to be a barrier? Please answer each question for all of the 16 maintenance items. RAIN GARDEN MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES: 1. Water or irrigate new plants to establish them: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 8

9 2. Water or irrigate established plants: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 3. Remove weeds and/or invasive plants: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 9

10 4. Replace dead, dying or under-performing plants: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 10

11 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance PART III. Questions about rain garden maintenance (continued) 5. Prune trees and shrubs: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 6. Prune herbaceous perennials including grasses, sedges, and rushes: Never Rarely Sometimes Often a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 11

12 7. Apply fertilizer to any plant: Never Rarely Sometimes Often a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 8. Maintain the perimeter (border) by edging or removing escaping plants: Never Rarely Sometimes Often a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? 12

13 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance PART III. Questions about rain garden maintenance (continued) 9. Reapply mulch or compost: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 10. Remove unwanted debris including trash: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 13

14 11. Remove plant and leaf litter: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 12. Remove accumulated sediment: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 14

15 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance PART III. Questions about rain garden maintenance (continued) 13. Inspect on a regular schedule, such as weekly or monthly: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 14. Inspect after significant rainfall, such as 1 inch in 24 hours: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 15

16 15. Repair erosion problems or eroded areas: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 16. Repair non-plant functional components such as basket covers, mulch, inlets, and outlets: a. For a typical rain garden, about how do you do this? b. How should or does this need to be done? c. How likely is this to be a barrier to acceptance? Other (please specify) 16

17 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance PART IV. Environmental benefits and acceptance 1. Have you observed issues related to rain gardens failing to provide environmental benefits, for example from slow water infiltration, plugging of outlets, soil mix depletion, poor plant growth? If so, please explain: 2. About what percentage (%) of rain gardens do you think are successful in terms of each of the following: Environmental benefits: Aesthetics (visual appearance): Acceptance by the property owner: Acceptance by the green industry: 17

18 Experiences with Rain Garden Design, Installation, and Maintenance End of Survey If you would like to make any additional comments on this survey, please do so below or contact the researchers directly. Thank-you for your time! CLICK the DONE button at the bottom of the page to submit your answers. DR. VIRGINIA LOHR Dept. of Horticulture Washington State University Pullman, WA DR. RITA HUMMEL WSU Puyallup Research & Extension Center 2606 West Pioneer Puyallup, WA

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