Creating a Rain Garden: Making the Most of the Weather!
We’ve had a lot of rain this summer, and one garden DIY project that is ideally suited to this wet climate is the creation of a rain garden. A rain garden provides a wonderful habitat for birds and butterflies, but also helps to deal with excess rainwater by improving water quality, reducing runoff volume and helping it to filter back into the ground.
There are two types of rain garden; those that filter rain and stormwater quickly back into the water system via a storm drain, and those that drain water slightly more slowly, through the soil using highly porous plants and drainage materials which carry cleaned water away.
How to Make a Rain Garden:
1. Choose an area. The ideal site for a rain garden will be at least ten feet from houses and will be a natural low spot or depression in the ground. Areas with clay soil will work best, so you may wish to carry out a soil test and consider adding heavier compost and topsoil if your soil is sandy.
2. Excavate the ground. The ground will need excavating to clear it, and planting media that is specific to a rain garden will need importing to the site. Hire the equipment you need from us, at Macroom Tool Hire and Sales, and you’ll get a great deal on a daily or weekly hire for machinery.
3. Line the area. You may or may not need a liner, depending on local conditions, but you’ll want to ensure that you have a large, clear area that will drain well and is not too close to your home.
4. Select plants. Plants with deep, fibrous roots are most useful in a rain garden, and native plants that cope well in the local environment are ideal. Perennial plants are well suited to this type of garden, since they do not require a great deal of maintenance and make good natural habitats for wildlife. You could choose annuals instead, or as well, if you want to create a more varied, colourful area, but this will be harder work to maintain.
5. Plant. Starting with healthy, small plants will be better for your project than larger plants and you should consider the type of plants you are using carefully, ensuring that they can cope with the flooding and draining of their roots on a regular basis. Imported plants should be clean and free from weed seeds.