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THIS GARDEN IS DEDICATED TO CAROLA SAUERS

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CLDS Rain Garden Planting Plan

CLDS Rain Garden Plant List (with species characteristics)

INTERESTED IN DESIGNING YOUR OWN?

A rain garden can take many different forms and is limited only by the resources and time you have to put into it. It can be large, complicated, and expensive—or small and relatively simple.

The following links provide more information that will help you get started. 

RainGardens.org

Design Templates provided by the Low Impact Development Center

 

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Rain Demonstration Garden

Rain Gardens are designed to capture rainfall and slowly let it percolate back into the soil to recharge groundwater supplies. This prevents stormwater runoff from our roofs and pavements from overloading our natural streams and causing erosion. Rain Gardens also filter out pollutants, and when planted with native species, they increase the biological diversity of the garden by offering a unique habitat for wetland plants, toads, butterflies, birds, and other animals.

The CLDS demonstration rain garden receives stormwater runoff from the nearby shed via a gutter and downspout system. It also receives some surface runoff from the adjacent upland area. Measuring approximately 10' x 20', the garden's subbase was excavated to about four feet, and then replaced with gravel, sand, and compost before being dressed with topsoil. About 20 different species now add to the biological diversity of the garden. Plants which tolerate frequent flooding and moist soil occupy the ponding area or lowest position, wheras plants that tolerate both wet and dry conditions occupy the middle and berm areas.

Photos of the garden under construction (left) and one year later (right).

   
   
Rain Demonstration Garden Plant List
 
Latin Name  Common Name  Height  Spread  Location(*) 
Asclepias incarnata  Swamp milkweed  3-4'  12-24 " P/M 
Carex pennsylvanica  Pennsylvania sedge  6-8 " 6-8 "
Carex stricta  Tussock sedge  2-3'  12-18 "
Carex vulpinoidea  Fox sedge  1-3'  12-24 "
Chelone glabra linifolia  White turtlehead  2-3'  2-3'  B/M 
Echninacea purpurea  Coneflower  36-42 " 18-24 "
Eupatorium maculatum  Spotted Joe Pye weed  3-6'  3-4'  P/M 
Iris versicolor  Blue flag iris  2-3'  18-24 " B/M 
Juncus torreyi  Torry's rush  2-3'  2-3' 
Liatris spicata  Blazing star  2-3'  18-24 " M/B 
Lobelia cardinalis  Cardinal flower  2-3'  18-24 "
Lobelia siphilitica  Great blue lobelia  2-3'  18-24 " M/B 
Monarda fistulosa  Wild bergamot  3-4'  3-4' 
Sagittaria latifolia  Arrowhead  1-3'  1-3' 
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae  New England aster  30-40 " 24-30 " P/M 
Vernonia noveboracensis  New york ironweed  3-4'  12-24 " P/M 
Veronicastrum virginicum  Culver's root  4-6'  2-4'  P/B 
Rudbekiia fulgida  Black-eyed Susan  2-3'  18-24 "
Asclepias tuberosa  Butterfly Weed  24-30 " 12-18 "
(*) B= Berm; M= Middle; P=Ponding