Why would anyone plant a garden near the base of a downspout?
Wouldn't the water streaming into the garden from the roof be kind of dirty? Isn't that an odd spot for a garden? Will pretty plants thrive there?
What's being described is a rain garden, and it has been deemed by some as a "beautiful solution to pollution."
A rain garden is a scooped-out plot strategically located to capture stormwater spilling from impervious surfaces, such as rooftops and driveways. Some environmental groups are encouraging rain gardens and educating the public about them.
Among these groups, the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District is a leader. During the past few years, the agency has helped to prompt the installation of rain gardens at about 25 public places such as schools, libraries and municipal buildings. Now it's hoping homeowners will take an interest. Here's why:
Quoting studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the conservation district reports that a substantial amount of the pollution in streams, rivers and lakes is carried there by runoff from yards and gardens. Some of the pollutants include fertilizers, pesticides, grass clippings and yard debris.
If you're curious about rain gardens, a good place to start gathering information is the conservation district's workbook at cuyahogaswcd.org/raingardenplantkits.htm. Click on Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners on the left. If you don't have a computer or would rather have a hard copy, call 216-524-6580, Ext. 22, and ask how to go about getting a copy of the manual.
"Installing a rain garden can be a fairly simple process, involving a shovel and a bit of physical energy," the manual reads. It gives step-by-step instructions, with illustrations, on how to design, dig and maintain a garden. The fact that rain gardens aren't mosquito magnets is emphasized. If designed properly, a rain garden should hold water for a maximum of 48 hours.
"A rain garden really isn't that much different in appearance than a regular garden," says Amy Roskilly, conservation education specialist with the conservation district.
Well, maybe a little different. The plants used for rain gardens will probably have names that don't exactly roll off the tongue. That's because using native plants is highly recommended. On its website, the conservation district sells rain garden native-plant kits that are assembled by Ohio Prairie Nursery (ohioprairienursery.com), a Hiram company that specializes in native seeds and plants. The kits, $105 each, will be available from May 30 through June 30.
There are three rain-garden kits: sun plants, shade plants and plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds while thriving in the sun.
"There are a lot of advantages to using native plants in rain gardens," explains Ohio Prairie Nursery owner Bob Kehres. "They don't need much external input from people, meaning not a lot of watering, and no pesticides. They're real easy to establish, and they grow fast. Native plants have robust root systems that penetrate deep into the soil, which allows pathways as deep as 6 to 8 to 10 feet. And they create a habitat for other native species, which is birds, butterflies, bees and so on."
In addition to taking orders for Ohio Prairie kits, the conservation district's sites lists other local places to buy native plants.
"The Lake Erie Allegheny Partnership [LEAP, leapbio.org] also has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to native plants," says Roskilly. When requested, the conservation district gives talks on rain barrels, another water-conservation effort, and rain gardens. Members of LEAP attend those workshop, too, Roskilly says.
As with any garden, soil content can be an issue for rain gardens. In its manual, the conservation district recommends getting a soil test and tells how to go about it. For previously established rain gardens, the conservation district worked with Kurtz Bros. ( kurtz-bros.com), a landscaping and recycling company in Independence. Kurtz Bros. has a soil blend that's formulated specifically for rain gardens.
"We worked with them extensively to develop this blend [of sand, natural soil and compost], and we're still tweaking it," says Greg Malone, a spokesman for Kurtz Bros. "The soil in this area typically is clay, and it doesn't allow water to flow."
Soil available at garden centers isn't good for rain gardens because much of it is very high in peat moss, which acts like a sponge, says Malone. Most of his company's rain-garden soil sales have been for large rain garden projects at libraries, for example, and not to homeowners. But it is available to the public, sold in bulk for about $40 a yard.
Homeowners and businesses that install rain gardens (or rain barrels attached to downspouts) could receive a reduction in the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District storm-water fee that could begin in January. The fee, which will pay for storm-water management projects and is expected to be about $4.75 a month for a typical homeowner, is still being argued in the courts. The reduction could come by way of credits, depending on what a homeowner does to reduce storm-water runoff from his or her property, whether it's adding a rain garden, rain barrels or converting some of the impervious property to pervious.
"Different credits will be available to homeowners and businesses," says sewer district spokeswoman Jennifer Elting. "Installing a rain garden or a rain barrel is a great way to get a credit."
Credits could range from 25 percent to 75 percent, depending on what the homeowner does. For more information about credits, go to neorsd.org/stormwater. Click on Credit Manual + Applications for a full explanation, or call 216-881-8247.