Think Green Thursday

Year ago, while working for the Planning Department of our municipality, the Planning Director used to receive a publication called Estuary News. This newsletter contained so much information of interest to me that I sent them a request for a subscription for myself. I have just received their Summer 2009 issue, and thought I would share one of its articles with you.

The article talks about Landscaping for Cleaner Water. Rain water and storm water in most areas is simply a throw-away. It pours off rooftops, driveways and streets, and is channeled directly into storm drains. Runoff and flooding become huge problems in many places, causing erosion of soil, destruction of wildlife habitat, and washing pollutants into the streams. The author of the article, Laura Whalen, suggests that an excellent way to help prevent these problems is to create rain gardens.

As she suggested, I checked out the Low Impact Development site, and found the following definition:

"A rain garden is a garden which takes advantage of rainfall and stormwater runoff in its design and plant selection. Usually, it is a small garden which is designed to withstand the extremes of moisture and concentrations of nutrients, particularly Nitrogen and Phosphorus, that are found in stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are sited ideally close to the source of the runoff and serve to slow the stormwater as it travels downhill, giving the stormwater more time to infiltrate and less opportunity to gain momentum and erosive power.

On the surface, a rain garden looks like an attractive garden. It may support habitat for birds and butterflies, it may be a formal landscape amenity or it may be incorporated into a larger garden as a border or as an entry feature. What makes it a rain garden is in how it gets its water and what happens to that water once it arrives in the garden

These gardens are designed to drain within four hours after an inch of rain has fallen - some in less time. Clean, weed-seed free planting media is used. A liner may be used in some cases. They should be low maintenance. Deep fibrous rooted plants are most desirable. Trees and shrubs are often used. Native plants should serve the best.

Obviously, the more rain gardens in an area, the safer that area will be from flooding and erosion. Anyone can plant such a garden near their home, using methods as simple as a rain barrel or a soaker hose leading from the downspout. It is something to consider.