Residential Rain Gardens

Rick Durham Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist University of Kentucky

Rain garden strategically located low area planted with native vegetation that intercepts runoff and allows it to infiltrate the soil.

Why Should We Consider Rain Gardens?

Photo Copyright 1999, Center for Watershed Protection

Run Off
Typical run off from a city block is 9X greater than a wooded area of similar size due to pavement Grass lawn reduces run-off substantially, but not completely Rain gardens promote 30% more infiltration than lawns

Flooding from 3 Rainfall

Rain Garden?
No! Erosion and nutrient run off upstream results in siltation downstream.

Rain Gardens
Increase the amount of water that infiltrates the soil to recharges aquifers Help protect community from flooding and drainage problems Help protect streams and lakes from pollutants carried in run off Enhance neighborhood beauty Provide wildlife habitat

Rain Gardens Can Be Beautiful

Excavation of an infiltration trench

Completed Infiltration Trench

Overflow to Storm Drain

Stormwater Runoff Solutions begin by reducing the amount of impermeable surfaces.

Grass Pave

Single Family Residence or Commercial Property

Ok, Lets Now Take a Look at Rain Gardens

Getting Started
How Big does it need to be? Where do I need to locate it? Soil Considerations? What Plants should we use?

How big do I make my rain garden ?

Design it to handle a 1.25 inch rain event (this captures 80% of rainfall events) Square footage x 1.25 in. (or .104 ft) = X cu ft of water

60 feet

30 feet

60 x 30 = 1800 sq. ft. 1800 sq. ft. x .104 ft. of rain (1.25 in rain)= 187 cu. Ft. of water

Just for Fun 187 cu. ft. of water x 7.48 = 1398 gallons

187 cu. Ft. of water

10 x 12 x 1.5 feet deep = 180 cu. Ft.

Size of Rain Garden

Rain Gardens can be of any size or shape Sandy soil, garden should be 20-30% of the size of the drain area Heavy clay soils, garden should be 5060% the size of the drain area Most residential rain gardens will be 100-300 sq. ft.

Where does it need to be?

Locate the rain garden down slope from any buildings Away from large trees (easier digging) In areas that take advantage of natural slope. Consider the size and placement in the landscape design. It may be easier to create two separate rain gardens.

Excavating
For large projects it may be easier to hire a landscaper. For smaller projects use the excavated soil to build a berm on the downhill side of the garden. Use a rope or water hose to layout the edge of the garden, use stakes and string to level. For deep gardens set aside the top 4-6 inches of soil (topsoil), excavate the hole then use the top soil to backfill the planting area.

Soil Considerations
Do a perk test. Dig a hole 8 inches deep and fill with water. If it takes more than 24 hours to drain then the soil needs to be amended. On poorly drained soil excavate 10-12 inches of soil from hole, mix 3-6 inches of coarse sand or small gravel with excavated soil and replace into rain garden. Bring 2 cups of soil to Extension Office for soil test Add lime and fertilizer according to soil test results, 3-6 inches of organic matter then till to a depth of 6 inches. Rain garden soil mix = 50-60% sand, 20-30% top soil, 20-30% compost (Rain Gardens of Western Michigan)

What about mosquitoes?

Life cycle requires 7-14 days from egg to adult Require standing water during juvenile stages Most rain gardens will drain within 3-4 days, usually sooner A properly designed rain garden will not breed mosquitoes!

Now the fun part Picking the plants

Determine sun exposure
Full sun = 6 or more hours of direct sun Part Sun to Part Shade=
less than 6 hours of direct sun

Shade = virtually no direct sun - problems

Dont forget specific site problems

Plants will need to be watered until established Weed management strategy needed for first year or so Choose native were possible. Drought tolerant, deep rooted, deer resistant?

Trees
Deciduous / Evergreen Plant as Specimens or in Groups Consider Bark / Shape / Flowering Provide Habitats for Birds

Trees for Rain Gardens

Red Maple River Birch Black Gum Bald Cypress Willow Oak Sycamore Sweetbay Magnolia Winter King Hawthorn Hackberry Fringetree Ginko

River Birch
Distinguished by bark 50' X 50' mature size Drought tolerance Multi-stemmed

Baldcypress
Drought Tolerance Deciduous Knees? 60' x 25' Plant as Specimen or in Groups

Red Maple
40'-60' x 40'-60' Drought Tolerance Excellent Fall Color

Ginkgo
25'-50' X 20'-40' Pest Free / Resistance to Damage Tolerates Most Soil Conditions

Ginkgo - Fruit / Leaf

Fan Shaped Leaf Undesirable Fruit

Black Gum
Nyssa sylvatica 60-80 feet Deciduous

Willow Oak
Quercus phellos 40-60 ft. Hightower

Sweetbay Magnolia
Magnolia virginiana 20-30 ft. Evergreen fragrant

Winter King Hawthorn

Crategus virdis 'Winter King Slow growth 15-20 ft. Deciduous Fall/winter berries

Hackberry
Celtis occidentalis 80 ft. Deciduous Long lived- 150 yrs.

Fringetree
Chionanthus virginicus Small understory tree deciduous

Shrubs for Rain Gardens

Arrowwood Buttonbush Summersweet Clethra Wax Myrtle American Beautyberry Bottlebrush Buckeye Inkberry Oakleaf Hydrangea Sweetspire

Inkberry
Drought Tolerance 5' x 5' Withstands Heavy Pruning Adapted to Various Soil Types

Arrow wood
Viburnum dentatum 8 ft tall x 6 ft. Fruit eaten by birds Fall color red to reddish purple

Bottlebrush Buckeye
Aesculus parviflora 8-15 ft. Deciduous 8-12 inch flower stalk in June

Oakleaf Hydrangea
Hydrangea quercifolia 6 feet Deciduous Great fall color

Sweetspire
Itea 4-5 feet tall and wide Great burgundy fall color May-June white fragrant flowers resembling fluffy caterpillars

Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis 18 ft. Bees and butterflies Fragrant Dried flowers often remain through winter

Sweet Pepperbush (Summer Sweet Clethra)

Clethra alnifolia Blooms JuneJuly Drought Tolerant Yellow Fall Color Excellent Fragrance 10 ft.

American Beautyberry
6' x 6' Drought Tolerance Cut Back Each Year Berries for Wildlife

Herbaceous Plants for Rain Gardens

Asters Blackeyed Susan Lobelia Goldenrod Ironweed Joe Pye Weed St. Johns Wort Swamp Milkweed Cinnamon Fern Canna Lilies Yellow Flag Iris Rushes Liriope/Mondograss

Asters
Aster novae-angliae New England Aster Color:purple Height: 27 Late summer/fall flowering

Blackeyed Susan
Rudbeckia 'Indian Summer Goldstrum Mid to late summer flowering Foliage 8-12 inches Flowers up to 2 feet

Cardinal Flower
Lobelia cardinalis Cardinal Flower Red flowers in later summer and fall 2-4 feet tall Few pests

Goldenrod
Solidago Goldenrod Height: cultivar dependent, 3-6 feet Late summer/fall flowering Not considered a contributor to hay fever

St. Johns Wort

Hypericum spp. 200 species Ground cover to medium shrub

Swamp Milkweed
Asclepias incarnata Summer flowers Butterflies Might see some aphids

Ironweed
Vernonia noveboracensis Flowers mid to late summer Height to 6 feet Butterflies

Liriope
Great Border Ground Cover Grows in Moist Areas Easy to Grow Increase by Division

Cinnamon Fern
Osmunda cinnamomea Deciduous 2-5 feet ht.

Joe Pye Weed

Eupatorium Late Summer Flowers Tall Robust Plant Flower heads attractive after plant dries in fall

Grasses

Miscanthus sinensis Silver Grass Phalaris arundinaceae Ribbon Grass Festuca cinerea Silver Fescue

Pennisetum alopecuroides Fountain Grass

Rushes and Sedges

Juncus and Carex Grass-like Tolerant of wet sites Drought tolerant as well

Planting Trees and Shrubs

When planting individual plants, dig the hole 2-times wider than the root ball. When planting a group of plants, cultivate the planting area to a 12-inch depth. Do not add amendments to individual planting holes. Instead, incorporate amendments uniformly into the top 12 inches of the soil. Remove the wire or cord from around the stem of B&B plants.

Planting Trees and Shrubs

Slice or break apart the root ball of potbound container-grown plants. Install guy wires on trees, if necessary, but remove them after establishment. A water saucer may be used to help direct water to the roots, but it is only temporary. Mulch. Water to settle soil.

If a water saucer is used, rake it outward and away from the planting hole. Smooth saucer 2 to 3 months after planting to keep it from eroding over the roots

Planting herbaceous plants

Plant in waves rather than as single plants Consider height and period/color of bloom Plant no deeper than previously growing Water thoroughly at planting Provide 1 water per week until established Prune back vegetation prior to regrowth in spring

Mulch
A minimum of 2 needed, not more than 4 Keeps weeds down Acts as sponge to capture heavy metals, oils and grease Holds moisture Maintains even temperature Shredded hardwood mulch or pine straw recommended

Pondering Points
The planting plan design should include species that tolerate extremes. Rain gardens can be left to evolve into a natural wild condition. Native plants are best adapted to local climate and once established are generally low maintenance.

Pondering Points (continued)

When planted with native species rain gardens can have additional value as a wildlife habitant. Shrub, trees, and ground covers absorb up to 14 times more rainwater than a grass lawn.

Maintenance?
No special maintenance required once established Routine periodic landscaping maintenance
Weeding Irrigation Pruning/vegetation removal

For more information:

Rain Gardens of Western Michigan http://www.raingardens.org/Index.php Rain Gardens Gardening with water quality in mind. http://www.mninter.net/~stack/rain/ Rain gardens infiltrating Wisconsin http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/wm/nps/rg/

Credits:
Residential Rain Gardens. Todd Hurt, UGA/ Cherokee Co. Extension. Milti-state Master Gardener Educator Training: Landscape Water Quality Workshop, Griffin, GA. 2004.