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Great Lakes Gardening

Angie's Rain Garden Design

7 years ago

I'm new to gardening so I'm not sure about my plant choices noted on my plan but I generally like to keep it simple with just a couple of colors and a small variety of plants I really like as opposed to alot of different plants, My neighbor's driveway sits about 2-2.5 ft above my yard and creates a gentle slope. There is a large dead area of grass after the slope (possibly due to the driveway runoff?) so it seems like a great spot for a rain garden.

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Comments (3)

Susan Bryan
7 years ago
Your plant choices look good - if you have full sun. That is what this garden has, right?
Susan Bryan
7 years ago
So they will survive in your full sun. :) That said - the plants you have chosen are all pretty big. Most are tall, and will take up more space than you are showing there. (Make your circles bigger for Ninebark, Potentilla, and Rose Mallow.) If you want simplicity, perhaps pare it down a bit. It looks to me like you have room for one Ninebark, maybe 3 Golden Potentilla, and at most 3 Rose Mallow. You might just choose one of these three tall species, to serve as a focal point.

(If you really want tall, because you are blocking the view of something, that is ok. Just typically, people don't want something so tall in the front yard.)

Also, when you choose your Aster, make sure to get a cultivar like "Woods Blue". I have the straight species, and it is huge/tall, and spreads. Not so great for a little front garden.

You might make that short aster + sedge your simple border, and the tall species in the middle, "making a statement". Maybe just the Potentilla and the Rose Mallow? Then you would get all summer bloom, with a gorgeous Rose Mallow bloom event in the middle. I would do just one Rose Mallow, and 1 or 3 Potentilla. The rest of the border all Palm Sedge and Woods Blue Aster. That would be simple, without too many species, like you said.
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Comments (12)
The oak tree is so large that the canopy is pretty big but the lowest branches are really high. The entire area gets 7-8 or more hours of sun. The tree is 36' from the fence. Laag - The whole idea of installing a rain garden is to be able to get something to grow there, as well as slow down the flow of water. Right now every time it rains, that area collects water or rushes off very fast. As a result, the soil is terrible and the grass won't grow well. We have ammended the soil several times and seeded but it never grows well. By installing a rain garden there, the use of certain plants with very long roots will help absorb and slow down the flow of water. Also, the plant selection is specific with plants that can tolerate standing water as well as dryness when it doesn't rain. I am taking a soil sample but I know I will have to ammend the soil before I plant. Hopefully with the right plants and the right soil ammendments, the area will thrive and control the water flow too.
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Comments (4)
I'm in process of redesigning some of my gardens, expanding, changing, whatever. In a place where there was ZERO shade, I've noticed that after 10 years, strangely enough my trees have grown to a point that they're providing some of that! Who'da thunk it? So this is a lovely idea and really beautiful plant choices! I wish she were here to talk about this with me! Hmm. Maybe I'll Google Ms. Myers! I admit I'd love to see a picture of the design, too! I'm installing raised Hugelkultur beds (Thanks Herbal!) and now because of this, I'm trying to figure out how to direct my downspouts towards them. I have a very flat roof. I also live at the downside of a swale. You can see the way the water runs down my drive in waves, by the layers of mulch/wood chips it drags down the drive. It really looks like what the beach waves leave in the sand, only chunkier! I cannot believe poke weed is encouraged. But for the birds, sure. I'm glad she isn't telling us (non-native) poison ivy is good for then, too. I'd have to kill myself. Thanks for sharing!
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Comments (1)
Ann, I'm so glad that you are taking the class! I noticed your name while answering questions but just put it together that you are the teacher I talked to a few months back about rain gardens at your school. Let me know if you would like copies of the lessons I have taught about rain gardens, water quality, stormwater and designing a garden.
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Comments (2)
The photo labeled "two" with no snow... If you dig a gravel walkway from the driveway down to the rain garden location to force the water to the desired location the water will not affect the basement. Curve the walkway all the way up into the corner by the garage door, or use something very densely rooted as an edging to deflect the water to the walkway. Siberian or Japanese Iris work well for this,or even Liriope which is evergreen.
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Susan Bryan
7 years ago
Of course, feel free to take my advice, or go ahead and do something else! :)

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