Rain gardens look good and do good things

April 4, 7:30 AMSoutheast MI Home & Living ExaminerJackie DiGiovanni

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Photo credit: Jackie DiGiovanni

The Southeastern Oakland County Water Authority says, "Rain gardens offer a functional and attractive option to the “pipe and pond” approach to storm water management. Because they provide an attractive landscaped garden as well as storm water retention, rain gardens are particularly useful in small urban spaces."

Rain gardens are low-lying areas that collect and hold rain water and runoff and allow it to percolate into the soil. They allow natural filtration of the water and reduce the load on municipal storm systems. Rain gardens improve the health of local rivers and streams by channeling water through underground waterways where it reaches rivers and lakes at a slower flow rate.

Rain gardens are gardens that contain trees, shrubs, flowering and green plants, and groundcovers. Gardens can be formal or informal, a riot of color or an oasis of calm, a large and meandering planting bed, or a small tended space. They can add value and beauty to your landscape.

Here is some advice for siting a rain garden.

To avoid unnecessary digging, install the rain garden in a naturally low-lying area on the property. If there is no natural low area, these locations are workable:

• Behind a man-made berm that stops water from washing soil off the property

• Near the bottom of sloping property to stop water from entering a storm drain

• Along a lake shore or river bank to provide a barrier strip between turf grass and the water

• In a man-made low area that directs the water away from a structure or a roadway

The rain garden is, in the end, a garden with flowers, greenery, and focal points. It is important to consider traditional garden planting issues including sun or shade, soil pH, soil nutrients, soil composition, competing root systems, and foot traffic. Planting zones and microclimates also affect the choice of plant material. Obviously, all plants selected for a rain garden must enjoy "wet feet."

Do not build a rain garden in a spot that is always wet. Do not install the rain garden above a septic system. Do not locate a rain garden near a water supply or a well. Do not locate a rain garden closer than 10 feet from the foundation of a house with a basement.

Rain Gardens of West Michigan offers a free article titled "Create a Garden" with lots of information and design ideas for a new garden. You need to consider water flow and drainage on your property in addition to all the "traditional" gardening concerns like sun/shade, soil structure, nutrients, pH, and plant selection and installation.

Washtenaw County has produced an online tour that does a good job of explaining what is being done in that county with rain gardens. There are seven garden designs for you to look at with details on where the garden fit on the property and which plants were selected.

The Michigan Native Plant Producers Association has prepared information about native plants and where you can buy them. Most authorities on rain gardens recommend you install native plants with deep root systems.

You choose the size of the garden. Rain gardens require weeding and tending much like any other garden. If there is an extended period of time without any rain, you will need to water the garden for the first year.

A rain garden is part of giving back to the environment. If you plant a rain garden, you are making a real contribution better local water quality.

Just for fun: Install Google Earth. Enter Michigan in the Fly to text box. 

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