Notes on being water wise-  After the period of drought we have just experienced it is very evident that our climate is not a static thing but a changeable mercurial force that shapes the world we live in.  To assume that it is and will always be constant is to live with blinders on.  Our ability to adapt to change is our best asset and one we can tap into when thinking about how we interact with the land.  What we do has an affect.  I plant a Spicebush and Spicebush Swallowtail lay their eggs on the leaves and a cycle is created.  It can be that simple, re claiming space for species we displace.  The same is true when gardening in general.  We do not always have to install irrigation systems that will drain our aquifers we can create a garden that makes good use of the site characteristics and takes advantage of the plants innate qualities to withstand drought or sit in heavy wet soils .  Native plants whether they be local, statewide or regional are better adapted to our climate, play crucial roles in our native food chains and are therefore always a better choice than non natives.  Below I will use several projects to talk about making water wise choices for our gardens plants we can use in a variety of locations and some techniques for addressing stormwater on your land.  This is only the tip of the iceberg there will be more articles to follow. 

Above is the finished rain garden at Ruffner Mountain Nature Center, stop by to see it in action or visit them online at www.ruffnermountain.org

Please use this as a worksheet, if you want to assess your property you can start by drawing a simple map showing property lines and main structures.  Hopefully you can gain some insight into how I have dealt with rain gardens and create your very own water wise landscape!

Naturally waterwise parts of our landscape like this bald cypress swamp illustrate several things.  Though the water is dark it is clean, there is a blanced look to the number of lily pads and bald cypress as well as other plants that live in this system and there is good biodiversity.  By choosing plants adapted to specific conditions like this we can create similar effects in our own landscapes that will help us to filter surface water and manage pollutants while creating a beautiful addition to our garden.

Identify the issues affecting your site.  Take note of the waters point(s) of entry on your property, velocity of water (generally,slow-fast)  point of exit from your property and the path(s) water takes.  Downspouts, driplines even overflow from rain barrels or A/C can be directed to your rain garden.

pictured is the Treetop visitor center at Ruffner Mt Nature Center

Note the erosion occurring foreground and the lack of plantings on the slope. 

There was also runoff from the roof and the upper hillside that needed to be addressed.  

I was called in to create a dry creek bed system that would channel and slow the stormwater on this slope.

Rain Garden 101

Questions to ask yourself are:

1.    Will a rain garden help with my problem?

2.     How will this affect my neighbors? 

3.    Are there retrictions, code limitations in my community?

4.    What do I want to see in my yard?  Flowers? Grassy lawn? Trees?  

5.    How will the structure(s) I install affect how my family uses the property?

6.    Where will the rain garden best serve my garden and the surrounding landscape?

     7. What is my sun exposure where I am working?

8.    Will I have to hand water plants I choose?

     9.  Do I want to attract wildlife like butterflies/moths/hummingbirds with my plant choices?

Design-

There are 2 basic forms of rain gardening an intensive form which requires more structure and drainage materials and is usually used to handle high volume of water in urban settings or areas of high sensitvity.

Pictured here is an intensive swale and berm system with gravel paths large stone, logs and a series of basins that capture the water and allow it to percolate into the surrounding landscaping, passively watering the plant materials.  This is at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson,AL

The extensive version, which is what most people will install, is acheived by creating soil berms ( mounds) to contour and thus contain the water to slowly release it which can be made to look like residential landscaping.

In the above photo the plants used are mostly perennials and grasses with thick fibrous root systems that can help soak up moisture and retain soils.  The most basic is made with berms and lawn grasses which will do an adequate job in most cases.   This rain garden was built during development of new housing and incorporates a raised bike path.

Informative sign painted by Gabriela Pomplova for one of our Eco-scape gardens.  Bio-swales and rain gardens share many characteristics.

Plant choices-

For sun loving spaces I choose native grasses and perennials that can tolerate a range of conditions and are readily available.  For shadier areas and wooded swales, ferns, some sedges and other woodland species.  Trees and shrubs may be utilized as specimens or en masse depening on the size of the area you are working on.  Take note of the surrounding landscape, it does not have to be an exact match but try to focus on a few plants so that there is a relationship.  This helps build a natural bridge for the critters large and small that will make your rain garden more diverse.

Here is a short list:

Sunloving perennials:                                   habitat zone

Asclepias incarnata/swamp milkweed                                                     basin

Asclepias tuberosa/milkweed                                                                basin

Baptisia australis/Wild indigo bush                                                          upland

Coreopsis pulchra                                                                                upland

Coreopsis lanceolata                                                                            upland

Echinacea purpurea/purple coneflower                                                    upland

Eupatorium fistulosum / Joe Pye weed                                                basin/upland

Eupatorium perfoliatum / Boneset                                                           basin

Eupatorium coelestinum / Blue mistflower                                            basin/ upland

Gaillardia / Goblin Flower                                                                        upland

Helianthus  angustifolius / Swamp sunflower                                          basin/upland

Hibiscus mosceutus /Swamp hibiscus                                                       basin

Lobelia cardinalis/Scarlet lobelia                                                               basin

Lobelia siphilitica/Blue lobelia                                                                   basin

Monarda didyma/Bee balm                                                                      upland

Origanum vulgare/Oregano                                                                      upland

Pennstemon digitalis / Pennstemon                                                           upland

Phloxes                                                                                                 upland

Rudbeckia/Black eyed susan                                                                     upland

Salvias                                                                                                   upland

Sysrinchium angustifolium / Blue eyed grass                                             basin/upland

Symphiotrichum sp./ Asters                                                                   basin/upland

Vernonia gigantea/tall ironweed                                                              basin/upland

Shadeloving Perennials:

Heuchera villosa/americana                                                                   upland

Ferns (southern wood fern, christmas fern, autumn, maiden hair, sensitive fern)          

                                                                                                     basin/upland

Chelone glabra / White turtlehead                                                       basin/upland

Pycnathemum incanum/ Mountain mint                                                   upland

Phloxes                                                                                              upland

Monarda fistulosa/ Bee balm                                                                  upland

Asarum shuttleworthii/ Gingers                                                               upland

Gelseminum sempervirens/ Carolina gessamine                                       upland/basin

Zizia aurea/ Golden alexander                                                               upland/basin

Climbing hydrangea                                                                            basin/upland

Trees and shrubs:

Aesculus pavia / Buckeye                                                                     basin/upland

Amelanchier canadensis / Serviceberry                                                    basin/upland

Aronia Arbutifolia / Chokeberry                                                               basin/upland

Asimina triloba / Pawpaw                                                                      basin/upland

Betula nigra / River birch                                                                       basin/upland

Callicarpa americana /American Beautyberry                                             basin/upland

Cephalanthes occidentalis / Buttonbush                                                    basin/upland

Cornus amomum / Swamp dogwood                                                         basin/upland

Croton alabamensis/Alabama croton                                                             upland

Fraxinus pennsylvanica / Ash                                                                   basin/upland

Hammamelis virginiana / Witchhazel                                                         basin/upland

Hypericum Frondosum / St Johns wort                                                           upland

Itea virginica / Virginia sweetspire                                                             basin/upland

Morela cerifera/wax myrtle                                                                       basin/upland

Nyassa sylvatica/Black gum tree                                                                   upland

Oxydendreon arboreum / Sourwood                                                                upland

Platanus occidentalis / Sycamore                                                                basin/upland

Rhus aromatica / Fragrant sumac                                                                   upland

Sambucus canadensis/ Elderberry                                                                    basin

Taxodium distichum / Bald cypress                                                              basin/upland

Grasses:

Andropogon gerardii / Big bluestem                                                        upland

Andropogon glomeratus / Bushy bluestem                                            basin/upland

Carex amphibola / eastern narrowleaf sedge                                          basin/upland

Carex laxiculmis / blue wood sedge                                                      basin/upland

Carex Plantaginea / seersucker sedge shade                                          basin/upland

Carex stricta / Tussock sedge                                                             basin/slope

Chasmanthium Sessiliflorum / Wood oats                                                  upland

Chasmanthium latiflolium / Upland oats                                                 basin/upland

Deschampsia flexuosa / wavy hairgrass                                                    upland

Eragrostis Spectabilis / Lovegrass                                                            upland

Juncus effusus / Soft rush                                                                   basin/upland

Panicum virgatum / Switch grass                                                              upland

Schizachyrium Scoparium / Little bluestem                                                 upland

Scirpus cyperinus / Wool Rush                                                                   basin

Construction basics-

The elements are actually simple there is a basin to hold the water along with a containment mound or berm of soil then the entrance and exit.

At Ruffner we had a parking lot with a cut in the curbing that allowed runoff to pour down the hill but with no direction the water pooled in an area that became a muddy bog.  This was meant as a pedestrian pathway so was unusable at certain times.  

The solution was to cut a large basin with a bobcat or skidsteer.  The soil was then used to build up a walkway that was also the containment berm.  3 8 foot long x 9 inch draintiles were set into the path and covered with fabric and gravel creating a walkover.  We then added compost, logs, plant material and waited for rain.

Use of Aggregates and other materials-

Probably not the least expensive option but in most cases a very useful one is the use of stone and gravel to slow and help filter runoff.  Along a watercourse or swale the stone will help deflect water and allow it to infiltrate into the soils.  Gravel can trap some surface pollutants and act like a filter in conjunction with plant roots.  In fast moving channels use larger gravel or create a basin full of gravel while in slower moving or pooling areas fine gravel can be used.  At the exit larger stones will help limit erosion of exiting water.

 I also like to utilize logs as they help channel water and with their organic nature provide habitat for macro-invertebrates and other critters like skinks, salamanders and turtles.  This can be combined with stone and compost for a natural and effective deflection system in places where there is faster flow. 

Native grasses and perennials like Blue eyed grass(Sysrinchium angustifolium) work well in rain gardens.

The more diverse you can make your landscape the more it will act as an oasis that helps purify water and builds a bridge between what was and is our current created environment.

exiting from the rain garden water meets a combination of plants, stones, logs and compost.

         Finished landscape with stone. logs, compost and many native plants some harvested from the adjacent landscape.    Below same landscape in autumn.

Compost in the form of leaf mould can be incredibly useful to cover large areas of bare soil to allow plant colonization and also soak up water that would normally runoff.  This will help retain water that would normally be running into our sewers.  1 acre of forest holds about a million gallons of water and that is quite a lot.

         Closing-whether you create an entire landcape or just a small rain garden imagine it properly with natures model in mind and you will be sure to enjoy your results.

Please visit-

www.stoneshovel.com for more on rain gardens and ecoscapes and a lot of other things.  I also offer native plants for sale by appointment and can send an availability list to you if interested.

Thank you

Arnold Rutkis