Would you like to improve the drainage of your garden soil and the look of your garden area by creating a sustainable soakaway? Find out here how to choose plants to build a rain garden and what other important steps you need to follow!
If you are worried about puddles and poor soil drainage after heavy rains, a solution could be to create a soakaway swale. A so-called rain garden would be just the thing when it comes to using excess water for garden plants and preventing flooding. Additionally, well-designed rain gardens can not only help improve soil but also enhance the overall look of your yard. Find out below what such a system can look like and what needs to be taken into account when setting it up.
What is a rain garden and why create a drainage basin?
Rain gardens are a type of garden bed that you can plant with different types of plants with deep root systems. At the same time, these ensure that water penetrates the soil quickly and your garden areas become more lush. This allows youCollect rainwater, so that it drains far away from your home. This ensures that heavy rainfall does not put as much strain on your sewer system as usual. The main idea of such a drainage system is to transport rainwater from downspouts or gutters to the garden through a depression made of river stones or through underground pipes.
In addition, if the infiltration trough is planned correctly, excess water can reach the garden soil within a day. Given theEffects of climate change on gardensand the need for sustainable water use, this proves to be a favorable option. The shallow planted depression holds the water until it penetrates the ground, thus enabling environmentally friendly landscaping. However, in order to design an infiltration basin, it is important to consider some of the following factors:
- First, make sure your garden soil is suitable for such a project by checking the soil permeability.
- Dig a shallow hole in the planned area and fill it with water.
- If water stays in the hole for more than two days, it means your garden soil is not permeable enough.
- If this is the case for you, you can provide the right soil conditions for a rain garden yourself. For example, you can make a mixture of 30% sand, 30-40% organic matter and 30-40% clayey topsoil.
- Additionally, make sure that your rain garden fits well into your landscape to optimally fulfill its functions. The steps and in the following instructions can help you.
How to build a rain garden step by step?
- Location and slopeDetermine – First, use a level and a long bed to check the slope of your garden. In order for the water to drain towards your garden floor, you need a slope of at least 2.50 cm per meter or more than 2% slope. As for location, your future rain garden should be at least 10 feet away from your home. This prevents water from soaking the soil near the foundation or pooling against the house walls.
- size and depthplan if you create an infiltration trough - You should also adjust the depth of the rain garden to the slope, with infiltration troughs usually being between 10 and 30 cm deep. If the slope at the site is less than 4%, you will need a depth of between 8 and 13 cm. For slopes between 5 and 7%, you should create a rain garden that is at least 15 to 20 cm deep. For slopes between 8 and 12%, a depth of more than 20 cm would be optimal. A slope of more than 12% would hold water for too long, although the size of the rain garden should be at least 5 square meters.
- DieSeweragefor the infiltration trough - To beautify your garden area with such a system, you can first use decorative stones. PVC wastewater pipes are also suitable for this, with which you can connect the rainwater from the downpipes to your garden. It would be even better to bury the pipes under the ground to improve aesthetics and not restrict garden paths. UmFlooding during heavy rainsTo prevent this, you should also create an overflow of stones in a deeper area.
- The seepage troughplant– Instead of seeds and seedlings, choose plants with mature root systems that can withstand water flow. Plant species such as irises, aster, hostas, sedum and other similar plants such as succulents are suitable for this.
Grow the right plants and create a drainage basin
After following the steps above, you can consider native plant species that provide habitat and food sources for wildlife and pollinators. These should be able to withstand both wet and dry periods. Ornamental grasses, sedges and rushes with deep root systems that help water penetrate into the soil are suitable for this. To keep your rain garden looking graceful year-round, you can choose a combination of plants with different foliage, bloom times, and texture. You should choose, plant and care for them in the following way:
- Grow the plants in the lowest parts of your rain garden, about 12 inches apart. Place in the higher areas and on the walls when designing your soakaway.
- Since your rain garden is designed to drain within a day, you may want to choose moderately moisture-loving plants.
- Make sure you also grow perennials and shrubs, as their dense root systems absorb excess water and prevent erosion.
- When it comes to plant care, you should water the plants in your rain garden more intensively during dry periods.
- If your infiltration basin is filled with water for several days, waterlogging can occur. In such cases, it is necessary to mulch the soil so that it can better absorb water and suppress weeds.
- Another important step is to set yourClean gutters regularly, so that rainwater can reach the garden plants better.
- Lastly, you should also prevent excess growth by occasionally trimming back the plants in your rain garden. This includes removing dead growth and dividing perennials as needed.
- Some common plants you can choose when creating a soakaway are three-lobed coneflower, articulla, switchgrass, wild bergamot, common winterberry, rough goldenrod, and cardinal lobelia.
