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I've always been a fan of rain gardens, filled to the brim with flowers, croaking frogs, and gorgeous fish. They can make your backyard quite the tropical destination. But in an effort to make your backyard a tropical paradise remember to keep it native, realizing that unless you live in the tropics your rain garden shouldn?t resemble a tropical rainforest. A rain garden is a shallow depression in your yard that is planted with native flowers and is positioned in the yard to receive run-off from your roof, sidewalks, driveway, and lawns, allowing water to slowly soak into the ground. Check out these simple tips for making your rain garden a part of the landscape that works with the eco-system rather than against it.
Do You Live in the Right Environment for a Rain Garden?
Rain gardens work best in environments with, you guessed it, tons of rain. If you live near wetlands like I do in South Carolina then a rain garden could be a perfect fit. One of the most rewarding parts of a rain garden it that it becomes a habitat for all sorts of gorgeous species like interesting birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. Pick a spot that?s at least 10 feet from your home. Pick a naturally low spot and direct water from your downspout or sump into it. Do not interrupt the drainage pattern originally designed for your lot.
Plant Native Plants Around Your Rain Garden
Already adapted to local conditions, native plants are easy to grow and maintain, generally requiring less fertilizer and water, as well as less effort to rein in pests. You will need to water your plants every other day for the first two weeks or until well established. Consider a hardy mix of grasses, small shrubs, and self-seeding perennials, especially those that are both wet and drought tolerant.
Make Sure That You Have The Right Soil Combination
An appropriate soil mix is 50-60% sand, 20-30% top soil, and 20-30% compost. Check your native soil first to find out the combination with a do-it-yourself soil testing kit.
Avoid Dangerous Fertilizers
This is sort of an obvious one but it holds very true to rain gardens as well. Rain gardens are of course fueled by rain, rain runoff to be specific. If the runoff is loaded with toxic fertilizers and such, that toxic rain drains into your rain garden, sickening native species like frogs and insects. Instead try organic fertilizers like alfalfa meal, good compost, peat moss, or green sand.
Like this article? Dig deeper with our Organic Gardening Feature. Got a tip or a post idea for us to write about on Planet Green? Email pgtips (at) treehugger (dot) com.
