Location
129 Louisiana Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11207
You might have heard that adding a rain garden to your yard can add beauty to your property and benefit the environment as well. What is a rain garden and how does it work? A rain garden is a collection of flowers and plants planted in a low lying spot in a yard with the intent to absorb and filter rainwater runoff. Rain gardens are beautiful, beneficial and a great way to preserve native flowers and local ecosystems using natural resources. Our rain garden guide will inform you of the benefits of rain gardens, how to build one, and more.
You might be wondering what the purpose of a rain garden is and what having one can do for you and your home. Many benefits come with installing a rain garden in your yard or community. Rain gardens:
Choose a shallow depression in your yard that is not already soggy with water. Your garden should be at least 10 feet from the base of your house and at least 50 feet from septic or other utility systems. Once you have chosen a spot, perform a soil test. Average rainfall should fill your rain garden, but it should drain within 24 hours. Dig a small hole in your ideal location, fill it with water and see how long it takes to drain. If the water drains quickly enough, you may proceed.
Once you have calculated the size of your rain garden and designed the layout, remove any grass and choose where water will enter and exit the garden. Add river rocks or underground PVC pipe to direct water flow from gutters. Keep in mind that particularly heavy rains may cause your garden to overflow — plan for an overflow zone surrounding your garden's parameter. The overflow zone should also be a safe distance from your home and utilities.
Once you finish the layout and installation of your garden, it is time to add your chosen plants. Your rain garden should be layered with three zones. The middle zone of your garden is the place for plants that love moisture and can thrive in a consistently wet environment. Surround this zone with a layer of plants who enjoy excess moisture, but require less of it. The third zone is the outer later of your rain garden and it houses plants that prefer a drier soil.
Fill your rain garden with plants that can stand up to an excess amount of moisture. Layer these plants by placing your most water-loving flowers in the middle of your rain garden and the drier of your choices on the outside. Some popular rain garden plants that thrive in wet conditions are:
Depending on the depth of your soil, there are a few deciduous tree types that may also work in your rain garden, including green ash, red maple and river birch.
Don't forget to consider your soil's natural pH level, amount of sun exposure and proneness to disease when choosing the best rain garden plants.
Although rain gardens require less water than traditional gardens, they do require regular maintenance to keep in top shape. Regular maintenance includes:
Dragonetti Brothers Landscaping is happy to help you maintain or expand your rain garden. We offer year-round management options, as well as attentive, personalized care to cover the rain garden basics.
Dragonetti Brothers Landscaping has been a family-owned business for more than 40 years. For us, no job is too big or too small — we have experience in commercial, residential and government jobs. We provide landscaping design, construction, maintenance, plant installation, tree removal and more.
Let us help you bring your rain garden dreams to life. Schedule a consultation, where we can help you decide the best location for your new addition or discuss custom landscape design options. Contact us online today or give us a call at 718-451-1300 to get started.
Posted on 01/09/2020 at 10:10 AM
Phone: 718-451-1300
Email: info@dragonettibrothers.com
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Monday - Friday 8:00AM - 6PM | Saturday 10:00AM - 6PM | Sunday Closed