Water Everywhere How Rain Gardens Beautify Your Home and Help Water Quality

Who am I, anyway? Catherine Wachs • Host of “The Lazy Gardener”, local cable access TV show • Environmental Educator, Sheldrake Environmental Center • Environment Committee Chair, LWV of Westchester Introduction

What is a rain garden? • Depression in the ground filled with plants • Receives rain runoff from roof gutters, sidewalks, driveway and lawn • Water slowly soaks into the ground.

What is a rain garden?

Improving water quality, one garden at a time. • Removes standing water in your yard • Reduces mosquito breeding • Reduces potential of home flooding • Reduces ice hazards from sump pumps

An inexpensive, simple solution to stormwater pollution. • Improves water quality • Recharges groundwater • Protects rivers and streams by slowing the flow

Other benefits of rain gardens: • For birds & butterflies • Increase beneficial insects that keep pest species in check • Enhances sidewalk appeal • Reduces garden maintenance • Conserves water

Constructing a rain garden. Location, location, location. • Do a water test with hose • Near a downspout • In low, wet area • Near driveway, road, sidewalk • At the base of a slope • AWAY from utilities • AWAY from tree roots

Determine the size you want. • Any garden is better than none • Formula for water holding capacity: Roof sq. ft. divided by 3 = rain garden sq. ft. that handles a rainfall of 1 inch

Determine the size you want. Example: Estimate the area of roof that drains to a downspout. With a 30’x30’ house footprint that has 4 downspouts, assume one spout handles one quarter of rainfall on house. 15’ x 15’ = 225 square feet 225 / by 3 = 75 square feet of rain garden to handle a 1” rainfall For sandy soil, use a factor of 5: 225 / 5 = 45 square feet.

Create the appropriate design for your site. Choose your plants according to soil type. Cornell Cooperative Extension gives low cost analysis. • 4 considerations: color, bloom time, height and wetness tolerance • Choose natives over exotics

Choose your design. Butterfly gardens attract pollinators Photo courtesy of Maplewood

Choose your design. Day lily gardens are low maintenance Photo courtesy of Maplewood

Choose your design. Shade gardens for challenging spots

Choose your design. Sunny borders brighten a path or driveway Photo courtesy of Maplewood

Choose your design. Full sun gardens allow for a wide range of flowers

Dig it! • Layout the shape with a hose, rope or non-toxic spray paint • Remove existing sod with sod cutter or black plastic • Dig shallow depression 4”-2’, more saucer-shape than bowl • Test drainage, amend the soil with peat or organic compost Classic rain garden mix: 40% sand, 30% compost, 30% topsoil

Time to plant. • 3 zones: very wet, wet to dry, dry • Mulch at least 2” to prevent weeds, erosion and hardpan, to encourage soil enrichment and water retention. • Arrange downspouts to empty onto a buffer of grass, rock or gravel • Bulbs like daffodils and crocuses should stay on perimeter

Maintenance • Water every other day until plants establish themselves • Weed regularly and replenish mulch-- shredded hardwood is best • Avoid compaction • Take note of sick or unhealthy plants. They may not like their location.

Resources • Rain Garden Network, www.raingardennetwork.com • Maplewood, MN, www.ci.maplewood.mn.us • Weems Creek Conservancy MN, http://weemscreek.org/proj-mine-raingarden.html • Brooklyn Botanic Garden, www.bbg.org/gar2/topics/design/2004sp_raingardens.html • Chesapeake Bay Foundation, www.cbf.org- click on "Bay Resources" to download pdf  "Build Your Own Rain Garden" • Rain Gardens of West Michigan www.raingardens.org • Monroe County IN www.co.monroe.in.us/stormwaterquality/bioretention.html To contact Catherine Wachs: 914-834-6692 cwachs@rightbraindesign-ny.com