What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is basically a plant pond, that is, a garden bed that you plant with special deep-rooted species. These plants help the water rapidly seep into the soil, away from your house and out of your hair. You direct the rainwater from the downspouts to the garden via a swale (a stone channel) or plastic piping. The garden captures the water and, when properly designed, drains it into the soil within a day. You don’t have to worry about creating a mosquito haven; the water drains before mosquitoes even have time to breed.
If there’s an especially heavy rainfall, excess water may overflow the rain garden and run into the storm sewer system. Even so, the rain garden will have done its job. It will have channeled water away from your foundation and reduced the load on the sewer system. A rain garden also reduces the amount of lawn chemicals and pet wastes that may otherwise run off into local lakes and rivers.
Where to build the rain garden?
A rain garden is an easy and effective solution for a short-term, isolated drainage problem. “Building a rain garden will utilize the area that has difficulty to grow turf. It’s also a great way to treat rainfall as a resource rather than a problem.”
If you have a shallow depression that has the soil amended so it drains quickly. Make sure your rain garden is located at least 10 ft. from your foundation so you won’t have any seepage problems in your basement. Plant it with shrubs and perennials that tolerate pooling water as well as periods of drought (Click here for of plant lists). The amended soil and water-loving plants capture the excess water, and it slowly percolates into the earth instead of running into the storm sewer or sitting on the surface of your lawn.
Rain gardens aren’t limited to flowers or areas with full sun. “Partially shaded areas planted with lower-growing trees and shrubs can create wonderful wildlife habitat rain gardens that become perfect nesting areas for birds.
Landscaping Help
With a good landscaper options for installing drains and runoff are available for creating a rain garden. Ryno Lawn Care is the preferred landscaper for LawncarelewisvilleTx.com, and can assist you in creating or transform a low basin in your lawn. Call for a free consultation.