Harvesting Rain: Consider Planting a Rain Garden

The past few years have got us thinking about using rain water effectively.  There are many reasons to consider infiltrating more water  into your garden.  These include: 

1. Saving money – rain water is free water
2. Conserving a valuable and increasingly scarce resource – water
3. Helping replenish the ground water
4. Providing habitat for insects and birds
5. Providing a place to plant interesting stream and pond-side plants
6. Teaching children the values of conservation and water-wise gardening
7. Deep watering your garden’s trees and shrubs (in winter/spring in our area)

One simple but effective infiltration tool is the rain garden or vegetated swale.  Rain gardens/swales capture water that would otherwise run into the storm drains - and allow it to percolate into the ground.   They make sense for many home gardens and are becoming increasingly popular throughout the world.   To learn more see: 

http://mother-natures-backyard.blogspot.com/2013/03/harvesting-rain-rain-gardens-and.html   and http://www.slideshare.net/cvadheim/infiltration-gardens-2015

 

There's still time to install a rain garden this year.  To help you out, the CSUDH Native Plant Nursery will be offering native plants suitable for rain gardens in February.  For a reasonable donation you can get the plants you need to install your new rain garden.   Look for the plant list next week!