The rain garden should be located in a place that can collect as much impervious area (driveway, roof, sidewalks) runoff as possible . The best areas are generally where water naturally drains but doesn’t hold water. It should also be located at least 5′-15′ away from your home.
What is the purpose of a rain garden?
A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway or street and allows it to soak into the ground . Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property.
Do rain gardens really work?
Rain gardens are effective in removing up to 90% of nutrients and chemicals and up to 80% of sediments from the rainwater runoff. Compared to a conventional lawn, rain gardens allow for 30% more water to soak into the ground. ... It typically holds water only during and following a rainfall event.
How deep does a rain garden need to be?
A typical rain garden is between four and eight inches deep . A rain garden more than eight inches deep might pond water too long, look like a hole in the ground, and present a tripping hazard for somebody stepping into it.
Are rain gardens expensive?
The cost associated with installing residential rain gardens average about three to four dollars per square foot , depending on soil conditions and the density and types of plants used in the installation. Commercial, industrial and institutional site costs can range between ten to forty dollars per square foot.
What are 3 benefits of rain gardens?
Filter pollutants from runoff , • Recharge groundwater, • Conserve water, • Protect guts, ponds and coastal waters, • Remove standing water in your yard, • Reduce mosquito breeding, • Increase beneficial insects that eliminate pests, • Reduce potential of home flooding, • Create habitat for birds & butterflies, • ...
Do the rain gardens have standing water?
No. Because rain gardens are shallow and are only built on soils with sufficient drainage, they are designed to dry out before mosquitoes can reproduce. Will my rain garden have standing water? Rain gardens are designed to infiltrate water in about a day .
Are there any famous rain gardens?
Patagonia has installed bioswales at its headquarters in Ventura, CA. ... But the biggest creator of bioswales in the West, and the city that’s giving free native greenery to its citizens and even landscaping it into their rain gardens, is a rainy one: the City of Portland .
Why are rain gardens bad?
Heavy metals: Soil and mulch in rain gardens contain particles that will adsorb and hold metals including copper, cadmium, lead, and zinc. A small fraction of the metals are sucked into plant roots and vegetation. While metals are not degraded in rain gardens, they’re present at very low levels .
Do rain gardens attract mosquitoes?
Will a Rain Garden Attract Mosquitoes? Water should stand in a rain garden no longer than 24 hours after the rain stops. Mosquitoes cannot complete their breeding cycle in this length of time, so a rain garden should not increase mosquito populations .
Can you plant a garden next to your house?
Don’t plant trees or large shrubs next to or near the house. ... Your garden beds should be graded away from the house, with surface drains provided to take excess water away from the building. If topsoil is introduced to provide the necessary slope, do not allow the soil to cover any ventilation holes in the walls.
How can I get my yard to absorb more water?
In order to make your lawn more amenable to water absorption, work organic matter into your soil . Garden compost, leaf mold and manure will all open the soil up and create more minute channels through which water can escape. Dig. For hardpan problems, a shovel may be the best solution.
What is the difference between a rain garden and a Bioswale?
Rain Gardens versus Bioswales
The main difference is that the bioswale moves water to somewhere else in the garden , while also allowing some (but not all) of it to infiltrate. A rain garden is specifically meant to increase infiltration. Bioswales are often used to convey water to a rain garden.
Do you need to water a rain garden?
When native plants are used, your rain garden will not require pesticides or fertilizer. As the rain garden is establishing during the first and second year or during periods of little to no rainfall, occasional watering of the plants may be necessary .
How do you maintain a rain garden?
- Water regularly to promote plant growth especially during the first two years and dry spells.
- Inspect site following rainfall events. ...
- Prune and weed to maintain appearance.
- Replace mulch as needed.
- Soil fertilization is unnecessary as rain gardens are designed to absorb excess nutrients.
How do you build a rain garden in clay soil?
Try using a 2:1 ratio of the drainage area to the surface area of your garden (most rain gardens in better soils use approximately a 4:1 ratio). For instance, if your garden will be draining a 200 sq. ft. of rooftop, plan the surface area of your garden to be 100 sq.
