Rain Garden Design

Stepping Stones by Jo Jakeman

When thinking about rain garden design, it is helpful to know the vocabulary. Does the designer you are thinking of hiring have the knowledge you are seeking; do you know how to explain your needs to them? Of, if you are looking to do your own design, do you need to know what is possible?

Not Just a Hole in the Ground

Water is loved by young and old alike. A good rain garden design can get kids playing and splashing, attract wildlife, and manage water as it moves through your garden. Rain gardens can go far beyond the typical dug-out area planted with bushes and perennials. Words are power. Here are words for rain garden design.

Boardwalk – wooden walkway placed over a pond, marsh or wet area. A great way for kids (and adults) to get close to the plants, animals, and insects.

Channel, Rill, Gully – a depression which directs water through the landscape. Made of wood, paving stones, concrete, or metal. Lots of fun for splashing in and learning about water flow! Can be part of a recirculated water design.

Stepping Stones – rocks or artificial paving stones set into the ground as a path across an area of water, grass, sand etc. Fun to jump, leap and hop across.

Beach – a sloped area of sand, gravel, river rocks etc. Usually slopes down into water but the water needn’t be permanent. Fun for digging in and burying and discovering treasures.

Island – a raised area surrounded by water, or by a dry depression with a change of texture and/or color. Perfect for sailing away to and being stranded on.

Jetty – a wooden platform built out over an area of permanent or transient water. Usually called a deck when it’s over a dry area. For fishing adventures, real or pretend.

Pond or Pool – a permanently wet depression. A place for insects, plants, birds, frogs, fish and amphibians, and the children who are curious about them.

Fountain – a water feature which uses a pump to discharge streams or jets of water at height which fall back down and are recirculated. The water is either in free-fall, or simply burbling up, rather than running across a surface. Brings sound and interest to the garden.

Cascade or Waterfall – water running from high to low over a vertical or sloped surface into a pool or collection area for recirculation. Can be made to look natural or be highly modern in design. Sometimes used to reduce sound pollution.

Dry Creek or Dry Stream Bed – similar to a channel. A shallow depression lined with rocks or paving stones which directs water and prevents erosion. Holds water only during and soon after rain.

Wetland – an area of wet ground which may dry out between rainfall. Contains plants which tolerate submerged roots. Can be used to process and clean water.

Bioretention, Rain Garden, Infiltration Strip – a planted depression which slows down water flow allowing it to infiltrate into the soil rather than being lost as surface run-off.

Green Roof – substrate and plants growing on a flat or sloped roof. Can be any size from a bird table through a dog kennel and outhouse to home, office building, or museum. Requires structural expertise to calculate loads and careful installation to prevent water seepage through the roof into the structure. Absorbs water and releases it over time.

Green Facade or Vertical Green – plants growing on a wall or other vertical surface. Can provide cooling, water absorption, and sound reduction.

Rain Barrel, Water Butt, Water Tank – a collection device for rain directed from a roof. Most often used as water storage for gardening or for feeding into a water feature. A large tank installation can provide water for the home if processing is done to clean the water.

Storm Water Planter – similar to a raised bed. Located close to the walls of a building. Rain water is fed into the planter. Slows down water and filters it through the soil.

Porous Pavement – an alternative to poured concrete for paths and drive-ways. Water passes through the surface or between paving stones and into the soil below. With some kinds of porous pavement, grass or other plants are grown amongst the paving stones.

Swales or Terracing – a series of ridges and depressions along the contour line of a slope. Used in larger scale landscapes to slow down water and allow it to be absorbed.

Rain Chain – a design element which is used in place of a downspout. Water runs down the chain directing it from roof to ground. Folks in the garden can enjoy the sight and sound of the running water.

Armed with this rain garden design vocabulary you will be able to research possibilities, discuss ideas with a designer (if you are interested in hiring one) and make informed choices. Wildlife, your local waterway, and your family might appreciate the changes to your garden, but most of all YOU will LOVE it!

You can find examples of all of the above features with photos and more inspiration in the book Rain Gardens by Nigel Dunnett and Andy Clayden. My thanks go to Carole at ConservationGardening.com who inspired this post by recommending the above book. Purchases through the above Amazon.com link support Loving Nature’s Garden.

Related posts:

1. Building a Rain Garden, Preparation
2. Rain Gardening in the South
3. Back Yard Makeover – the plan