All About Rain Gardens The Problem: We all know what happens when it rains a bunch puddles, overflowing creeks, and flooded basements. Impervious surfaces such as streets, rooftops, sidewalks, and parking areas do not allow water to infiltrate into the ground. Did you know Just one inch of rain will collect about 935 gallons from a home with a 1500sf roof! The Solution: Create a Rain Garden This is a perfect way to not only beautify your yard but a great way to put your landscaping to work for you! Rain Gardens with native plants capture surface runoff and allow it to soak into the soil and recharge the groundwater. Water flowing through soil cleans pollutants from the runoff before it reaches our groundwater supplies, streams, and lakes. Rain Gardens also reduce local flooding and soil erosion and makes the environment more attractive. An important component in your Rain Garden is to use native plants. Native plants also attract butterflies, bees, and birds. Below are some examples that are readily available from your local nursery or Home Depot/Lowes: Here are some plant ideas to get you started: Aster (purple picture) Black-eyed Susan Blue Flag Iris Butterfly Weed Coreopsis Creeping Phlox Indian Grass Joe Pye Weed Milkweed (pictured w/butterfly) Purple Coneflower Virginia Blue Bells Wild Columbine Because rain gardens are dug 4 to 8 deep, and in some cases 1-2 deep, they hold larger quantities of rainwater making their overall construction more cost effective than other green alternatives. Rain gardens are low-tech, inexpensive, sustainable, and beautiful. They can be installed without permits or heavy equipment.
Benefits of Rain Gardens Filter runoff pollution Improve water quality Protect rivers and streams Remove standing water in your yard Reduce soil erosion Reduce mosquito breeding Increase beneficial insects that eliminate pest insects Reduce potential of home flooding Create habitat for birds and butterflies Survive drought seasons Reduce garden maintenance Enhance curb appeal How to Build a Rain Garden Here are some basic steps to give you a good start building your own rain garden. 1. Find a location The rule of thumb suggests that you place the garden at least 10 feet away from your home to prevent flooding in your house. Do not locate the garden over a septic field. You should try to choose a naturally occurring low spot in your yard or position the garden where your downspouts or sump pump outlet can be used to direct rainwater into your garden. Try to choose a location in the sun either full or partial. 2. Measure drainage area If you are building the rain garden in a low spot in your yard, you do not need to measure the drainage area. Just ensure the area receives water regularly during a rainstorm. If you are capturing water from a roof or other hard surface, you will need to measure the specific drainage area of that surface and multiply by the number associated with the type of soil you have. For sandy soil; multiply by 20%, for loamy soil, use 30-35%, and for clay soil, use 45-60%. These numbers are somewhat inflated but they will ensure the garden holds as much water as possible.
3. Create a design Whether your garden is large or small, the same basic principles apply. By planning your garden on paper first, you will be able to create the best appearance possible for your rain garden. Grade the interior of the garden so water will spread out over a flat, level bottom. 4. Choose your plants Native plants are suggested for rain garden installations because they are best adapted for our climate. You will want to choose plants (flowers and grasses) that will grow well in both wet and dry areas because the rain garden will temporarily fill with rainwater from time to time. Use plants that bloom at different times to create a long flowering season. 5. Lay out the garden Lay out the shape and boundary of the garden based on your design. Before you start digging, locate underground utilities by contacting OUPS at 1-800-362-2764. 6. Dig the garden Remove the turf grass and dig your garden approximately 4-8 inches deep. Use the soil to build a berm around the garden edges to allow the rainwater to soak in.
7. Prepare the soil Depending on your soil type, a commonly used mixture is 65% sand, 25% compost, and 10% soil. 8. Plant the flowers and grasses Follow the design you created and place your plans in the approximate positions. Step back and look at the garden and the design. Plants should be placed about 1 foot apart from each other. Once you are satisfied, you can start planting the flowers and grasses using a hand trowel. 9. Mulch the garden Use coarse, fibrous, shredded wood chips that wont float or blow away. Apply the mulch about 2-3 inches deep. This will help to keep the moisture in and the weeds out. Avoid cypress mulch because it is made by chopping down rare, old-growth cypress in wetlands. 10. Water and arrange downspouts After you ve planted the garden, water every other day for two weeks if it doesn t rain until your garden looks to be growing on its own. Good water techniques and maintenance is the key to a quality rain garden.
Maintaining a Rain Garden Rain gardens, like all gardens, are not completely maintenance-free. After your rain garden is planted and established you may never need to water it or add any type of fertilizer or pesticide. It is important however, to weed, clean-up and re-mulch the garden in the early spring and fall. First Season Care The most important work during the first year of the rain garden is watering and weeding. A young garden will need about an inch of water per week until it is established. Weeding and Mulching All rain gardens need constant weeding and replenishing of mulch. As the garden matures, weeds will be pushed out by the growing plants. The mulch will need to be raked periodically and replenished or freshened every spring. Seasonal Clean-Up In spring, you will need to clean up the rain garden by removing any dead material and replenishing the mulch. In the fall, it is important to remove some of the dead vegetation. You might wish to leave some of the material and seed bearing plants for bird habitat in the winter however. When you re ready to get started, give us a call! We will custom blend your next Rain Garden soil. We also have mulch and decorative gravel to help enhance the beauty of your hard work! Adapted from http://www.raingardennetwork.com/about.html