FEBRUARY 1, 2018 // 9
Rain gardens to the rescue
Advice from a
Washington State
University Master Gardener
By KIM SMITH
FOR COAST WEEKEND
A
s we head into the rainy season,
maybe you’re starting to notice
a river of water running off
your driveway or a washout in the lawn
where a gutter drains.
These are perfect indications that
a rain garden could be a beautiful and
functional addition to your landscape.
A rain garden is an area of garden
designed to collect stormwater from
your property, contain it and clean it
as the water filters through the soil and
roots of selected plants. This mimics the
way our native vegetation and forests
reduce runoff, erosion and pollution,
while improving aesthetics, wildlife
habitat and much more.
Rain gardens are not ponds but a
shallow garden bed with the capacity
to hold water for just a short time as it
absorbs into the earth.
Home landscapes often include
impermeable surfaces, such as rooftops,
patios, walkways and driveways. These
are areas where water is not able to
infiltrate and can contribute to greater
regional problems, such as water pollu-
tion and flooding. Installing your own
rain garden can be a beautiful addition
to your yard, while helping to allevi-
ate these problems on your property,
throughout your local community and
in the surrounding watershed.
To begin planning your rain garden,
look at possible sites where runoff
normally occurs or places where storm-
water could be channeled. There are a
few limitations: Places to avoid include
areas near building foundations, steep
slopes, utility lines and septic tanks.
Because the purpose of a rain garden
is to absorb and filter the water through
the soil, the soil should be tested for
texture and percolation rate to
determine that it drains
well. In addition, if an
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COURTESY PACIFIC COUNTY
MASTER GARDENERS
COURTESY PACIFIC COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS
A public rain garden in Greendale, Wisconsin
“A RAIN GARDEN IS AN AREA OF GARDEN
DESIGNED TO COLLECT STORMWATER FROM
YOUR PROPERTY, CONTAIN IT AND CLEAN IT AS
THE WATER FILTERS THROUGH THE SOIL AND
ROOTS OF SELECTED PLANTS.”