One popular garden type these days uses rainwater in a different manner – yes, it’s rain gardens. Rain gardens allow storm water runoff to be used for plant growth and soil enrichment rather than allowing storm water to run directly into the sewage system after a shower. Rain gardens gathers water for a certain time period, therefore not wasting a drop in the drains. And just like Calgary gardens, it can keep your lawn effective and at the same time letting you save water.
The idea of a rain garden is for rainwater to run off buildings, rooftops, and sidewalks to then sit on the surface of the garden until it is completely absorbed by the soil. The saturation of the soil would last in 3-4 hours, with no troubles in the fungus or habitat of insects. The advantages in having this garden type is that it saves water consumption, thus helping you deal with the effects of global warming. Rain gardens potentially cut down the amount of pollution that reaches rivers and streams by 30% as well. Ideally, these types of gardens are small ones, situated in the city. The reason for this is that the garden will become extremely wet and extremely dry, depending on the amount of rain, and a large garden cannot handle that.
This garden types doesn’t require to be watered frequently for the rainwater itself is enough as supplements for the plants. Woody plants like trees and shrubs are the best plants for your rain garden. You can also plant endemic or naturalized plants for they adapt to any kind of soil or even the harshest of climates. These gardens boost wildlife and natural habitat in urban cities even more for it resembles a mini rainforest. While rain gardens can attract humming birds, bumble bees and butterflies, noxious mosquitoes finds here no place to breed. The reason for it is that the water does not retain long enough in rain gardens where mosquito larvae hatch.
You can build a garden pond if you want deeper water basins to hold water, but be sure to have pump, aeration and filter. One of the preferred water features today are Calgary ponds, with other incorporating a lagoon, a fountain or a cascading waterfall. Consider a koi pond filtration in your pond as well, have a UV filter or basket filter so the pond health and efficiency is maintained. Garden ponds is usually created as a natural water retention spot for a home or a property and also has the same characteristics like the rain gardens.
Rain gardens can be built around ten feet from the roof of your home, though it can also be far off. The garden’s natural irrigation requires no watering actually, with just a slight depression from 10 inches to three feet. Under-drained and self-contained are two type of rain gardens. Under-drained gardens usually drains quicker than because of the porous soil. In under-drained gardens, plants at lower elevations get more water because the soil at the lower areas retains water for longer periods of time after the storm.
In general, rain garden would ideally make urban areas “green”, at the same time fortifying biodiversity and enhancing the area helping you save in water cost … of course if there’s always rain.
Written By:
Custom Stone and Waterscapes
3829 Parkhill Place SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2W6
Specializes in Calgary Landscape Design, Calgary Landscaping, Calgary Gardens, Calgary Ponds and Waterfalls.
(403)870-1142
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