With the climate crisis here to stay and flooding an ever-pressing concern, as evidenced by recent events and storms Ciara and Dennis wreaking havoc in homes across the country, now might be the perfect time for homeowners to consider how best they can go about protecting their properties in the future.
A rain garden could be the perfect way to go about this, designed in such a way as to catch water and then infiltrate it slowly back into the ground, soaking up all that excess water. This could be a particularly good option for any properties with extensive tarmac and gravel driveways and other landscaped areas, where rainwater runoff can prove problematic.
You’ll be pleased to hear that rain gardens are, in fact, very low maintenance and you won’t need to water them – so the perfect choice for anyone just starting out as a gardener and still looking to find their feet.
Such gardens absorb a lot more water than if you just had grass by itself and you’ll also be able to reduce soil erosion at the same time, while attracting all sorts of wonderful birds and insects.
It would be worth taking a look at the RHS website if you’re keen to begin but aren’t sure where to start. The organisation explains that you need to plant your garden in a shallow area of ground that receives runoff from roofs and other hard services, featuring plants that can withstand waterlogging for up to 48 hours at a time.
You’ll need to be aware of any underground services on site, such as electricity or gas, and be careful as you dig if you’re not sure exactly where these are placed. Locate your rain garden in full sun or partial shade, at least 10ft away from the property so you don’t damage the foundations with infiltrating water.
Consider planting the likes of iris sibirica, hemerocallis, geraniums, campanula glomerata, ajuga reptans and hydrangeas, but be aware that what you plant will be governed by the speed of drainage and regional rainfall. If you live somewhere that sees heavy rain on a regular basis, you should look at plants that can tolerate wetter soil, for example.
Rain gardens can prove to be particularly good as flood defences in urban areas, where drains can quickly become overwhelmed with water during storms.
This then leads to localised flooding, blocking streets and damaging homes and businesses. Sewage can also make its way into the streets and watercourses if surface water drains and foul sewers are connected.
Runoff can also wash pollutants into our waterways even if flooding doesn’t occur – and these issues are likely to increase with growing urbanisation and population numbers. So perhaps now’s the time for you to start thinking about how you can help mitigate the effects by planting your own rain garden.
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