rain gardens

[me&thegals]

Does anybody know the details of creating one of these, what plants really suck up the water?

In central WI last summer, we had terrible flooding. Our yard is at the base of a bluff, fairly level, so it and my gardens were okay. However, once the bluff water picked up speed, the no-till fields on either side of our driveway had terrible gulleys and we lost a lot of topsoil.

I would like to create rain gardens at the top of either side of the driveway where significant runoff could accumulate and percolate down rather than washing out the fields. Also plan to plant alfalfa or something on either side of the driveway to absorb what runs off the driveway.

Any hints on construction, lining, plants best for it (full sun, zone 4, nice soil, not rocky or sandy) would be greatly appreciated!

me&thegals

 

[vfem]

I know creeping Jenny loves marshy spots. I had to plant some up close to my house as it gets flooded when it rains.

There are 2 types of creeping jenny though... one that is a known weed and it looks slightly different then the one I have which is noninvasive. I bought mine from 'stepables.com' though they carry them at the nursery by my house.

I also found some others that like marshy areas on that website... do a search for your zone and something that would thrive in or near a pond! You'll find water loving plants there... and you can even find a nursery that carried them near you in the search as well. Or order them off the site!

 

[me&thegals]

Thanks! I'll take a look at that site.

 

[vfem]

We've bought quite a few of the plants they have listed. I'm getting some of the irish moss they have next year to plant as an egding for my garden path down the side of the driveway.

Getting such a nice tax refund this year is killing me... I'm already ordering siding... and I'm adding more plants!

 

[patandchickens]

It sounds to me like what you mainly need is a retention pond and/or landscaping (temporary or permanent) to slow the water down so it doesn't erode gullies. The planting is probably secondary to the engineering aspect (a distant second).

Old hay or strawbales are the usual quick and dirty way to limit water speed and erosion - perhaps you could find someone with bales of 1 or 2 year old hay or straw, oldy moldy, to use?

If you try any sort of retention pond excavating or damming, make REAL SURE there is an overflow spillway that is located ELSEWHERE from the dam. That is, when the water level starts to near the top of the dam, the lowest area it encounters (by which the excess will exit the pond) needs to be somewhere in the BACK half of the pond periphery, not atop or next to the dam. Otherwise you are just asking for a total washout.

Plantwise, I'd suggest shrubby willows as the best thing for drying out land. Lots of 'em. You can plant them right in the path of the water as long as you can get them to stay there long enough to root in well. Cut a bunch of switches in spring and just stuff them into the ground; or pot them up. They can be several feet long, they
re willows, they will root no matter what

(Don't use tall willows without really good reason and certain knowledge that there are no pipes, drains, septic systems or building foundations within 200'; and I'd be cautious of using shrubby willows within 50-75' of the above stuff, either)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[robbobbin]

I recently gave a public program about rain gardens. Check out these links I found useful:

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/Content/DEP/Rainscapes/home.html

http://dnr.wi.gov/runoff/rg/

http://www.raingardennetwork.com/

http://www.raingardens.org/Index.php

http://www.mninter.net/~stack/rain/

 

[me&thegals]

Thanks, Pat and Robbobbin. I have some thinking and research to do. Wish this snow would melt so I could get a better look at where/how I need to do this!

 

[bluebird]

Robin, a new title for you: The QUEEN of Links! Way to go....