GARDEN PATH: Creating a rainwater garden is a fun and environmentally friendly idea

Be dazzled by this week’s Crown of Flowers!

My garden is bursting with stunning blooms that create an ever-changing display of color and fragrance. Current showstoppers include vibrant pink daylilies, elegant Annabelle hydrangeas, sunny Gold Plate yarrow, cheerful zinnias, classic Shasta daisies, charming nasturtiums, vibrant hot pink phlox, and the striking crocosmia.

These flowers are not only a feast for the eyes, but are also drought-tolerant perennials, except for the annuals (nasturtiums and zinnias). Their enchanting colors and enticing scents are irresistible to pollinators, making my garden a bustling hub of activity.

Harness the power of water in your eco-friendly garden:

Imagine a storm so intense that it only happens once a century. Now imagine that storm happening much more often, turning what was once a rarity into a regular occurrence. These “100-year storm” events, caused by a warming climate, mean that when it rains, it actually rains. To combat this and relieve the pressure on overburdened stormwater systems, many cities have turned to rain gardens. These gardens not only effectively manage stormwater, they also improve urban greening and curb appeal. Homeowners can join this green revolution by adding rain gardens to their landscapes.

Enjoy everything:

Have you ever thought about where all that rainwater and snowmelt from your yard ends up? It’s a journey from your yard to local freshwater bodies: lakes, rivers, and streams. Every drop that doesn’t make it into your yard travels down sidewalks, gutters, and drains, picking up pollutants along the way. By reducing runoff from your yard, you’re significantly improving the health of our waterways.

How can we help? Install a rainwater garden!

Enter the rain garden! These eco-friendly wonders act like nature’s sponges, soaking up rainwater and filtering out pollutants. Rain gardens are designed to capture and infiltrate rainwater from impervious surfaces like roofs, driveways, and lawns. Planted with deep-rooted native species that tolerate both wet and dry conditions, these gardens provide multiple ecological benefits.

When planning a rain garden, consider plant diversity as you would in a pollinator garden, with plants that bloom from early spring to late summer and butterfly host plants where possible. Also consider different moisture levels in the soil: a moist area at the bottom, an average area, and a drier edge.

For a successful rain garden, incorporate native clump-forming grasses and sedges, which are essential for soil stabilization and erosion prevention. These plants should be incorporated throughout the garden. In addition, small trees and shrubs can enhance larger rain gardens. Wet-tolerant options such as pussy willow, buttonbush, red dogwood, and river birch add seasonal interest and thrive in wet conditions.

What rainwater gardens are not:

Rainwater gardens are not ponds, nor are they mosquito breeding grounds. Well-designed rainwater gardens hold water briefly after a storm, then quickly infiltrate back into the soil. They are generally no deeper than a foot and do not require a liner. The size and depth of your rainwater garden should be based on the amount of rainfall you need to manage from impervious surfaces.

Tips for designing a rain garden

When designing a rain garden, consider it an integral part of your landscape rather than a standalone feature. Consider its shape and how it fits into the overall composition, screening, and circulation of your garden. Integrate the rain garden with other plantings, such as a depression in a perennial bed or shrub border. Enhance the aesthetics and functionality of your rain garden with decorative stones, seating areas, paths, or other hardscape elements to make it more visually appealing and user-friendly.

Photo: Capital Region Water District

My Rain Garden Adventure

This year I embarked on an exciting project: creating my own rainwater garden and food forest. Faced with the challenge of runoff from a nearby pond that threatened to wash away my long, sloping driveway, I knew I needed a solution that would both manage stormwater and enhance my landscape.

The result was transformative. My rainwater garden now captures and filters excess rainwater, directing it through a dry riverbed of river stones on a perforated drainage pipe. This arrangement allows the water to be released slowly into the landscape, reducing erosion and preventing flooding.

With plantings that can withstand periodic flooding, the garden is teeming with life, supporting a wide variety of wildlife and adding new beauty to my garden. It feels like my garden has a new lease on life. Plus, I’ve already harvested a variety of squash and I’m eagerly awaiting my peppers and tomatoes to ripen!

Monika Rekola photo

If you can’t create a rainwater garden, you can still save water with downspout gardens or rain barrels. What could be better than conserving and reusing natural resources like water?

PHOTO: ILLUSTRATION BY MAVIS AUGUSTINE TORKE

Plants for making the downpipe garden plan

The mix of plant sizes and the soft pink and blue flowers of the following perennials work together to create a dynamic design with just a few plants. All of these plants appreciate plenty of moisture and can tolerate occasionally soggy soil. They are Joe-Pye weed, pink turtleweed, dwarf sweet flag and large blue lobelia.

Save water, build a rain barrel!

A rain barrel is a great way to go green, using collected rainwater to water your garden, lawn or even houseplants. This project used a recycled barrel with a stylish cover made from simple fence posts and rope.

Photo: Mick Telkamp

Rain Chains: Add some charm with decorative rain chains. These beauties not only control the flow of water, but also make your garden sparkle with a touch of artistry in any space.

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So, why not take the plunge and transform your yard into an eco-friendly oasis? With rain gardens, rain barrels, and clever water-saving techniques, you can create a sustainable retreat that benefits both you and the environment. Let’s make every drop count!

Monika Rekola is a certified landscape designer and horticulturist, passionate about gardening and sustainable living. As an aspiring homesteader and garden writer, she shares her love of recycling, reusing, and birding. Monika is dedicated to ecological gardening, with the goal of rebalancing our fragile ecosystem. Contact her at (e-mail address).