…digging the rain garden. I looked back at the January 12, 2008 post to see what I wrote about one year ago. During that week I was heavily entrenched (forgive the pun) in digging the rain garden. Today I’m very pleased with how well it functions. This January we’ve had at least 3 inches of rain so far, possibly more, and the rain garden has absorbed 100% of the rainfall. It will easily handle 2 inches of rain every 24 hours. The plantings need more work. I wasn’t happy with the zinnias I put there. They looked great but grew too tall for the spot. The rudbeckias did well but most of the other plants were small perennials that really needed another growing season to get established. I’ll show it’s progress more this spring but here are the posts I put together one year ago about the rain garden’s construction.
The First Step to Recovery
Digging the Rain Garden
The rain Garden is Almost Done
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Dave,
I think a rain garden is such a good idea….and since our rain doesn’t dribble but falls in a deluge, this is a perfect solution to handling run-off and grow plants that would normally not be happy here!
Btw, the new template is so much easier to read…I love it.
Gail
I like the new template too Dave. Especially the links across the top that link to other pages. I am not sure though why on my screen all the blogs are cut off! Urrrr! I thought it was the monitor, changed that and that did not fix it. Any suggestions? Is it my settings? I know, off the topic.
That rain garden was the first project I remember reading about on here. Hard to believe it has been a year.
Thanks Gail!
I’m enjoying it too. It’s different and new. It kind has that new car smell. 😉
Tina,
Do you use Explorer or Firefox?
Hi Dave, I went back and read your earlier entry when you started your rain garden. I wasn’t sure I knew what a rain garden was until recently, when a couple of other bloggers talked about the subject. I actually think I’ve created a couple of rain gardens, unknowingly. They absorb water runoff and serve the same purpose, but weren’t intentionally created for that purpose. I’ll have to report on them and bring up this subject later in the spring when I start posting things in my garden;)
Thanks for the info! Jan
I’m glad that your rain garden is doing good. I was reading up on them and planning on putting one in at my old garden. I don’t need it as much here, but I think I’m still going to do something for some water control. Clay soil doesn’t drain too well and we end up with some small pools in the lower spots in the back yard.
Firefox. 800 x 600 setting. I switched when IE was acting up and you suggested firefox. Simply love this browser.
Jan,
You’re welcome! Rain gardens are a great problem solver for those pesky drainage areas. More people should consider installing them where they can.
Lythrem,
You’re right, that clay soil doesn’t drain very well at all. Although clay soil is very rich in nutrients. A rain garden and rich compost might be just the thing for it!
Tina,
Firefox is great. It’s so much faster than IE. You could try going to the VIEW menu and adjusting the zoom to help it fit better. On our screen I can see everything fine. Are there any other websites or blogs you have that issue with?
It’s been so interesting to read of different peoples’ experiences with rain gardens. I’m looking at doing a story on one for here in Nova Scotia, although we have very different climate and needs. The only thing we’d be digging today is snow–we have several feet of it around!
All of them Dave, it is not just yours. I’ll try to adjust the view. Thanks!
Jodi,
I think I would love Canada in the summer! I really do like the snow but I don’t think I want quite as much as you receive. That would be tough digging for a rain garden.
What a great way to utilize an area that would normally be just a soggy mess. Can’t wait to see what it looks like this season! By the way the new template is great, I agree. 😉