Planting Your Rain Garden

The Rain Garden Environment Are rain gardens wet?

The Rain Garden Environment

Rain Garden Zones Edge Emergent Semi-aquatic

The Rain Garden Environment Moisture regime also depends upon site conditions

The Forest Model A Citizen’s Guide to Phytoremediation, US EPA, 2001 Stream Corridor Restoration, FISRWG, 1998 Rain gardens are designed to imitate forest functions.

MOST DESIRABLE LEAST DESIRABLE Multiple Layers of Vegetation Single Layer of Vegetation Mulch Lawn Stones/Gravel Bare Soil Pavement/Roof Surface Hierarchy Pyramid

Trees in the Rain Garden

Does Your Rain Garden Work? Courtesy Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc.

Pollutants in the Rain Garden Nutrients (Nitrogen and Phosphorus) Heavy Metals (Copper) Salt, Deicers, Sand Car fluids (Gasoline, Antifreeze, Oil, etc.) Pesticides & Herbicides

Use Native Plants Adapted to local conditions, including soils & precipitation Don’t require inputs of chemical fertilizers & pesticides Save time and money Provide the habitat wildlife, including pollinators, need Beautiful!

Natives Provide Habitat Food (Year-round) Water Shelter Places to Raise Young

A native plant is “a plant that lives or grows naturally in a particular region without direct or indirect human intervention.” USDA PLANTS Database

Avoid Invasive Plants An invasive non-native plant is “a species intentionally or accidentally introduced by human activity into a region in which it did not evolve and which aggressively competes with, and displaces, locally adapted native plant communities. Displace native species Reduce wildlife habitat Alter ecosystem processes Maintenance nightmare! Courtesy NPS

10 Rain Garden Plants Black-eyed susan

Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica )

10 Rain Garden Plants Winterberry holly

10 Rain Garden Plants Joe Pye weed Obedient plant

10 Rain Garden Plants Black Chokeberry (also Red Chokeberry) Arrowwood viburnum Elderberry Switchgrass Ox-eye sunflower

More Winning Plants Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal flower) and Rudbeckia hirta Pycnanthemum virgianum (Slender-leaved mountain mint) Andropogon virginicus (Broomsedge) Chasmanthium latifolium (Upland sea oats) New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) Clethra alnifolia (Sweet pepperbush) Northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) Milkweeds – Asclepias incarnata (swamp) and Asclepias tuberosa (butterfly weed) Little bluestem, Indian grass, goldenrods, monarda and asters

Plant Density Seeds and Plugs Better for natural gardens. Plant 1/2 to 1 ft. on center. Can’t mulch with seed. Pots Better for traditional gardens. Plant 4 inch to 1 gal 1 to 3 ft. on center

A Few Design Tips “A well-designed rain garden doesn’t look like a rain garden.” Rule of 3 – each plant should have at least 3 features to enjoy Plant in clumps of 3 – 7 plants of the same species to create bold color, cohesion and pattern. Use your edges. Create year-round dimension and interest. Plant densely, but consider mature plant size.

Courtesy Wetland Studies and Solutions, Inc.

Downspout Drain

Stark Residence Rain Garden

Local Rain Gardens Hidden Oaks Nature Center, Annandale Green Springs Garden, Alexandria Audrey Moore RECenter/Wakefield Park, Annandale Cub Run RECenter, Centreville U.S. Botanical Garden, Washington, DC Georgetown Waterfront, Washington, DC Brookside Gardens, Wheaton

Christin Jolicoeur Watershed Planner Arlington County DES Contact Information