Case Study – Rain Garden

This is an example of water management in a small front garden in England. The garden is currently a scrubby area of lawn, with an old driveway and a few overgrown shrubs around the edge. The primary goal for the design was to prevent a small issue with water-logging to the side of the driveway, and to keep water on site. And a key secondary goal was to provide a haven for wildlife as well as a more attractive frontage to the property.

The key features are of course the three rain gardens – planted with plants which can tolerate wet feet in winter, and periods of drought during the summer months. The first of these three rain gardens fills the space currently filled with weedy gravel at the centre of the drive. The second lies beside the edge of the drive, collecting water from the driveway and from the pathway outside the front door of the house. A third rain garden area collects water, via a stone lined gravel channel, from a portion of the roof.

Details of native plants which can meet the requirements of these rain gardens were suggested to the client for each of these zones.

Rain Garden 1: Partial Shade

Carex pendula, Juncus effusus, Aruncus dioicus, Dryopteris ssp, Ajuga reptans, Campanula glomerata…

Rain Garden 2: Full Sun

Rosa rugosa, Eupatorium maculatum, Geranium (hardy cranesbills), Bergenia, Geums, Carex pendula…

Rain Garden 3:

Malus ‘Adirondack’, Amelanchier ‘Robin Hill’, Crataegus laevigata, Sambucus nigra, Viburnum ssp., Rosa rugosa, Calamagrostis, Alchemilla mollis, Geraniums etc..

If you would like more details of this design, or are interested in a rain garden design specific to your garden, please do get in touch. I would be very glad to help you work out how to create a beautiful garden while managing water more effectively on your property.