Make a Rain Garden
Perhaps you have a few “trouble spots” in your yard that tend to be soggy and waterlogged. A problem space that is hard to mow, and tends to collect rainwater is the perfect opportunity for creating a rain garden. By carefully choosing bee friendly plants for your rain garden you can turn it into a thriving ecosystem that benefits all pollinators in the area.
Often, we think of bee friendly gardening as an effort that requires acres of land – this is not always the case. Creating a rain garden in wash zones are a great way to reduce erosion and feed bees.
How a Rain Garden Works
A rain garden is a planting of shrubs, perennials and flowers in a depression or problem area of the yard. The problem being that this space tends to have rapidly moving water during rainy times. Yet, it may be somewhat dry when it is not raining.
This is a bit different from a boggy spot that tends to stay wet all the time. However, depending on soil conditions having mostly wet conditions can occur. The key is choosing the substructure and plants that do best in the conditions that you have.
Slows Moving Water
The goal of the rain garden is to slow down moving water – allowing it to sink into the soil. Fast moving water carries soil away and causes unsightly erosion. It may be a hillside or slope that gets a lot of runoff water during heavy rain.
Areas with storm water runoff can ruin your landscaping. Even rain water from roof and driveways may create wash areas. They are also challenging to mow or maintain because the area tends to stay damp or boggy.
Rain Garden Design
For those of you who live in urban areas, storm water management is not uncommon. The more developed the space around you (more pavement – less grass) the more likely you are to have problems.
To a degree, you must design your rain garden to fit your particular situation – if you have big problems with water.
The more runoff water the area receives – the larger rocks you need. Small rocks can be washed away while larger ones stay put. Your rain garden plants need sturdy roots too! This helps hold the soil.
You may find a professional landscaper in your region to design one for you. But, this is not something that you have to delegate to someone else.
With a little preparation most homeowners can make their own rain gardens that will help with water runoff and add some beauty too.
Construction Tips
1. Start by building a berm ( a rounded mound of soil above the level ground) to hold the plants in place.
If you spent time playing outside after thunderstorms as a child, you may already know that narrow deep channels cause the water to flow faster.
Instead, create discrete swells in the landscape to channel run off water into your rain garden area. Think in terms of shallow broad based dips that gently encourage water to go where you want.
2. Build a basin to help hold the water “temporarily” if you are dealing with larger amounts of runoff vs just a really boggy spot. In this case, a bit more effort is required than just a little soil sculpting.
It may be necessary to actually dig out a small basin in the trouble spot. Think of this as a temporary holding pond that will gather fast water – slow it down and slowly spread it out over a larger area.
3. Contact your local agricultural extension office. They will have information that is suitable for your region and maybe plant suggestions too. They should know what is suitable to your climate and good for pollinators throughout the season.
Plants For Your Bee Friendly Rain Garden
We know you want plants with sturdy root systems and flowers that bloom if you to help bees. The number of planting options are almost endless and limited only by your gardening zone.
Choosing plants that are suited to your climate is important because you want the garden to look pretty year round. Know your zone. Plants that are suited for Arizona may not do well in Maine !
If you live in a dry region with only periodic flash floods, look for drought resistant pollinator plants. These could be included in your rain garden or around the edges.
When we use native plants and perennials that attract bees to create pollinator gardens, that’s even better! Try to choose those that have a long bloom period.
Common Choices
- Serviceberry Shrubs
- Steeplebush-Meadowsweet
- Oregon Grape
- Purple Coneflowers
- Milkweed
- Joe-Pye Weed
- Ironweed
- Fireweed
- Goldenrod for Bees
- Coreopsis
- Anise-Hyssop
Depending on the amount of water that runs through the area – you might consider growing something special – like a shallow wide pot to hold a lotus tuber. They feed bees and make an eye-catching display.
Dealing with Clay Soil
If you live in a region with clay soil, drainage and gardening in general can be more challenging. Soil that does not drain well may require a larger special area to handle the incoming water.
When installing your plants, take the time to do some soil enrichment. Mix some compost and sand into the top few inches of the soil before planting. This aids in drainage until the plants begin to grow and create tunnels in the soil for water to follow.
Benefits of Rain Gardens
All gardening activities have their advantages and disadvantages. The obvious advantages to having a rain garden in your area are:
- prevents unsightly erosion
- adds beauty to the yard
- reduces yard work in an area difficult to maintain
- contributes food and habitat for beneficial insects
- provides shelter for birds and small wildlife
- not expensive if you do it yourself
- helps filter pollutants out of the water before it reaches streams
Disadvantages and Challenges
Every rose has it’s thorn. Come to think of it-that is not a great quote for today when many hybrid roses do not have thorns. Yet, installing a rain garden does not come without some disadvantages.
The type of garden structure needed will not be the same for every location. If you live in a spot with little runoff water and no hills nearby, construction for a slightly boggy spot should be very easy.
However, if you have a lot of water moving across your yard during a storm. Proper design and construction is vital or your rain garden will not work.
In fact, an improperly installed rain garden can increase erosion and become a bigger unsightly mess. Take the time to think it through and be willing to make some adjustments if you want to do it yourself.
Maintenance Required
Though upkeep may be minimal, you will need to do some maintenance in your rain garden to maintain a pleasant appearance. Grasses may creep in and plants may need to be thinned. Do a seasonal overview of how things are doing and make adjustments.
Expert Tips
- mulch tends to wash away – consider pine needles or other types of ground cover material
- make a conscience effort to add to natural bee habitat by complimenting natural plants in the area
- choose plants carefully – some can stand wet feet constantly – others can not – match your plants to your conditions
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FAQs
A good rain garden design prevents large areas of standing water. If properly constructed, mosquitoes will not breed in your garden. All of the collected water should be absorbed into the soil within 48 hours.
After a heavy rain, look at your yard. Find the area that seems to always have standing water or that has grass washed away due to fast water. It may be a good candidate for your special garden.
Yes, many online nurseries have put together rain garden kits. They contain a mix of plants that do well in damp soil. If you desire to help bees too, choose one that has pollinator friendly plants.
Final Thoughts
Building a rain garden with bee friendly plants is just one way to help bees and improve your property.
A good design means less mowing in difficult places-consider plantings for any area that you don’t want to mow. A good book about sustainable landscaping helps you get off to a good start.
One small garden may seem unimportant. However, if everyone in the neighborhood participates by adding blooming plants and reducing erosion, this can make quite an impact on the area.
