Build a Rain Garden and enjoy the Flowers (and humming birds and butterflies)

Rain gardens are easy to create. Even I can do it. You can create one in half a day, or a weekend at most. They capture rain and water run-off from your roof. The plants take up the water. The soil filters and cleans the run-off of pesticides and fertilizers. Less pollution in our streets and lakes means cleaner streets and lakes. And, depending on where you live, you may qualify for a tax credit.

Think of a shallow bowl. That is the shape of a rain garden. You plant it with native prairie plants that are adapted to weather extremes, including periods of drought and heavy rains. These plants feed birds and butterflies. Rain gardens do not retain surface water. And no, rain gardens do not harbor mosquitoes.

Perc test it. Dig a hole, about the size of a coffee can, in the deepest part of where you want the rain garden to live. Fill the hole with water. Mark the water level with a stick. After four hours, measure the new water level. If the level has fallen one inch in that time, that means it will percolate 6 inches within 24 hours. The percolation test will tell you how quickly the water will be taken up by your existing soil and determine the depth of your rain garden.

Locate it. Place it approximately 10-15’ from the foundation of your home (or office building), preferably near a downspout. Use splash rocks to disperse the rain water and to prevent the soil from washing away.

Dig it. Dig a flat, bowl-shaped depression about 4-8 inches deep. For example, removing the turf from the area will give you a depth of about 4 inches. Fill the area with water to check for drainage (again). If the water level does not drop 6 inches in four hours, remove an additional 4 inches of soil. Add peat moss or compost and dig that into the soil to loosen any compacted soil.

Design it. Your rain garden can be as large as you want. Make the general outline with a garden hose. Be creative! Do you want it round? Oval? Straight sided? Curved? It’s your garden! What type of plants do you want? Do you want a mix of flowers and grasses? Plants that attract hummingbirds and beneficial insects? How do you want to lay out the plants in your rain garden?

Plant it. You can direct seed the area with flowers. I prefer to use transplants. Instant foliage! Set the plants in the rain garden while they are still in their containers. When you are satisfied with where you want the plants to live, plant them and use shredded hardwood mulch to prevent weeds. Do not use wood nuggets. They will float away during a heavy rain.

What to plant. Select plants that are perennials. They will survive the winter and come up every year without any help from you. I like that. Select plants based on your design theme. Here are a few themes and plants to get you started.

Plants for creating a butterfly rain garden: New England Aster, Prairie Blazing Star, Swamp Milkweed, Coneflower, Blue Lobelia, Cardinal Flower.

Plants for color: Joe Pye Weed, Calico Aster, Garden Phlox or Rose Mallow, Wild Sweet William, Golden Alexander.

Plants for attracting song birds: Coneflower and Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia), Western Sunflower, Bee Balm, Cardinal Flower, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), Scarlet Salvia.

In addition to perennial flowers, consider grasses, sedges, and some small shrubs, such as fox sedge, little bluestem grass, prairie dropseed, red-twigged and yellow twigged dogwood.

And that is pretty much it. So get out there and do it over the weekend. September is a great time to create a rain garden. Your plants will have enough time to set their roots and acclimate to winter conditions.