I have a problem. Rainwater from my roof pools in my front yard, and then leaks into my basement. Water can be a big problem for a house, and for a vintage Barbie collection stored in a basement. What's a girl to do? My solution....build a rain garden - which will not only deal with the water, but look pretty doing it.
So what is a rain garden. It is just a depression, created near the source of the run off water -- that will capture rain water and filter it down. Planting a rain garden with native plants and grasses helps to create a beautiful but hard working landscape! Why is a rain garden a hot environmental topic? Run off from roofs and driveways can contain pollutants. Using a rain garden as a natural filtration system keeps these harmful pollutants out of the sewer system. The drawing here is from Bill Einhorn, RLA and President of the APLD NY Chapter.
Rain gardens can be pretty-- it is more than a shallow depression filled with rocks! Some perennials great for rain gardens include Rudbeckia, Green Headed Coneflower, Garden Phlox, Fothergilla and Buttonbush. We can save the planet, one rain garden at a time!
So what is a rain garden. It is just a depression, created near the source of the run off water -- that will capture rain water and filter it down. Planting a rain garden with native plants and grasses helps to create a beautiful but hard working landscape! Why is a rain garden a hot environmental topic? Run off from roofs and driveways can contain pollutants. Using a rain garden as a natural filtration system keeps these harmful pollutants out of the sewer system. The drawing here is from Bill Einhorn, RLA and President of the APLD NY Chapter.
Rain gardens can be pretty-- it is more than a shallow depression filled with rocks! Some perennials great for rain gardens include Rudbeckia, Green Headed Coneflower, Garden Phlox, Fothergilla and Buttonbush. We can save the planet, one rain garden at a time!
Consult with a landscape designer to come up with a workable plan and plant list. I found my designer, Janet Bly on www.apld.org - and she puts up with my crazy questions, need for year long garden interest and desire to screen even the nicest neighbors. Kathleen
2 comments:
A helpful resource is "Rain Gardening for the South: Ecologically Designed Gardens for Drought, Deluge, and Everything in Between". Written by 2 North Carolina horticultural professors and certified rain garden professionals, it's hugely informative, easy to read, and geared for homeowners as well as garden professionals.
Although the plant lists are developed for the southeast, there will be some overlap, AND the concepts and how-to information presented in the book is NOT southern specific.
Good luck and happy gardening! :D
St. Croix Valley Landscaping Has done many rain gardens and rain harvesting projects. Make sure you test your soils for drainage, if you have a lot of clay you might what to consider harvesting.St. Croix Valley Landscaping
Post a Comment