12 Plants That Are Perfect for Your Rain Garden
- Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii)
- Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)
- Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
- Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum)
- Red Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis)
- Hairy Beardtongue (Penstemon hirsutus)
- Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata)
- Ohio Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohioensis)
- Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor)
- Columbines (Aquilegia canadensis), zones 3 to 9.
- Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium maculatum), zones 2 to 9.
- New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae), zones 4 to 8.
- Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia ), zones 4 to 9.
How do you create a rain garden?
Part 3 Part 3 of 4: Building Your Garden Download Article
- Dig out your garden area to the desired depth. Once you've staked out your rain garden dimensions and measured the slope, dig your garden to the desired depth.
- Build a berm to hold in water. A berm (or earthen dam) will prevent runoff from flowing out of your garden.
- Fill the basin with soil. ...
- Add your chosen plants. ...
How and why to build a rain garden?
A recent conversation with a gardener friend as to why he didn’t plant a winter garden ... Raised garden beds are key to a rain friendly garden. Let’s consider how to make a raised bed, and then consider ways that taking the time to dig a raised ...
How to plant starter plants for your garden?
Rules of thumb for planting in your garden:
- Plant seeds roughly 3 times as deep as the diameter of the seed, unless otherwise directed on the package. ...
- For transplants – most transplants are planted at the same depth they were growing in the pot. ...
- Wait until danger of frost is past to plant heat loving plants such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, okra, etc.
How to plant grass before a heavy rain?
- Know about the grass seed. ...
- Know about the required temperature, day length, humidity required for your grass seed to germinate. ...
- Buy good quality seed. ...
- See the weather forecasting of your location and be confirmed that there is almost no chance of heavy rain within the time of seed germination and establishment of grass in ...
What plants thrive in a rain garden?
Plants for shady rain gardens Download PDF listBasil Balm (Monarda clinopodia)Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)Creamy Violet (Viola striata)Golden Ragwort (Senecio aureus)Hairy Woodrush (Luzula acuminata)Maple-leaved Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum canadense)Marginal Wood Fern (Dryopteris marginalis)More items...
How many plants should be in a rain garden?
How many plants? Your garden size divided by 2.25 for plants spaced 18" apart. (67 divided by 2.25=29.7. Round to 30).
What outdoor plants do well in wet soil?
If you have an area in your landscape that's occasionally wet but dries reasonably well in a few days, you might consider these perennials, shrubs and trees: astilbe, cardinal flower, sedge, rose mallow, summersweet, hibiscus, European cranberrybush viburnum, leucothoe, fothergilla, inkberry, sweetspire, sweet and ...
How do you landscape a rain garden?
Plants for the rain garden should: tolerate wet roots for short periods, usually 24 to 48 hours, compliment the rest of the landscape and thrive in the area. As with all gardens, proper soil preparation and mulching will help the plants grow and thrive. Provide irrigation and fertilizer for the rain garden as required.
Are hydrangeas good for rain gardens?
(Oak-leaf Hydrangea) Oak-leaf hydrangeas are easily grown in moist soil and do best in full sun to partial shade. The plant is a great option for those looking to plant a bigger shrub/small tree in their rain garden but don't want to invest in a taller, more costly tree.
What plant soaks up the most water?
The Best Water-Absorbing Plants and FlowersDaylily.Purple Coneflower.Bee balm.Globeflower.Golden club.Japanese iris.Primrose.
What Bush likes wet soil?
Tatarian dogwood, also known as red-twig dogwood, is ideal for use in a rain garden, as it prefers consistently moist soil. This shrub can reach 8 to 10 feet in both height and spread, and it's valued for its red bark.
Do Hydrangeas like wet soil?
Very few plants will tolerate that sort of condition and hydrangeas are no exception. They like moist soil but they also want good drainage. Soil that remains wet - not just moist - for too long will lead to root rots and fungal diseases.
What plants can be planted in a rain garden?
Including native grasses, sedges, and rushes into your rain garden is essential. The deep root systems act as a filtration method for contaminates while also allowing for efficient groundwater infiltration. As with every selection, you want to try to make the plant have multiple functions.
What is the best grass for a rain garden?
As with every selection, you want to try to make the plant have multiple functions. Big Bluestem is an excellent choice because it does serve multiple purposes besides water absorption and filtration. It is an attractive grass while in bloom and during the fall and winter, but it also is a food source for birds and other wildlife while offering shelter for insects and butterfly and moth larvae.
What is the best plant to plant in the base of a garden?
New York ironweed (Vernonia noveboracensis) Barry Winiker/Getty Images. New York ironweed is an ideal plant to place in the base of your garden. It grows in a dense mounding shrub-like form and is tolerant to almost all growing conditions.
What are the three zones of a rain garden?
There are three planting zones to a rain garden: the edge, the slope, and the base. The following list will recommend where to plant each plant, but the general rule is to place plants tolerant of dry conditions on the highest locations or the edge. Plants that can handle conditions that are medium moisture with occasional dry conditions should go ...
Is bergamot a good rain garden?
Wild bergamot is a stunning flower and a no-brainer for inclusion when planning your rain garden. It attracts pollinators, provides beauty, and helps with water infiltration. The main draw with any bergamot besides the hummingbirds it attracts is the complimentary tea you can make from the flowers .
Is ironweed a good plant for a garden?
New York ironweed is an ideal plant to place in the base of your garden. It grows in a dense mounding shrub-like form and is tolerant to almost all growing conditions.#N#Ironweed offers ecological benefits to pollinators and shelter to small wildlife if you allow it to grow shrubby, which can happen if it is not kept orderly.
What is the best bee balm for hummingbirds?
Scarlet bee balm ( Monarda didyma ), or wild bergamot, is a big draw for hummingbirds, butterflies, bees—and people. Gardeners love the bright scarlet-red flowers and the long bloom season—up to two months in summer—not to mention the fragrant foliage. Commonly found in bottomlands and along streambeds, scarlet bee balm is a natural for rain gardens. It grows 2 to 4 feet tall and resists rabbit and deer browsing. Scarlet bee balm takes full sun or part shade and is hardy in Zones 4–9.
How tall does Cardinal Flower grow?
Cardinal flower grows 2 to 4 feet tall and is hardy in Zones 3–9. 3 / 10. zelig8787/Shutterstock.
What zone do lavender pink flowers grow in?
Native to wet meadows, it grows best in rich, moist soil but also survives on drier sites. It takes full sun to part shade and is hardy in Zones 4–8.
Is swamp milkweed hardy?
Swamp milkweed takes full sun to part shade, typically growing 3 to 4 feet tall. This rain garden plant is hardy in Zones 3–6. 9 / 10. ALong/Shutterstock.
Is ironweed good for rain gardens?
They’re a magnet for pollinators—including hummingbirds—and their stiff stems make them useful as cut-flowers. Other ironweed species also make good rain garden plants. Prairie ironweed likes full sun and is hardy in Zones 3–7. Learn more about rain garden plants. Originally Published: April 25, 2018.
Why do you plant a rain garden?
Many of them are native plants, which usually have fewer disease and insect problems. Planting a rain garden also gives the water longer to soak into your ground, which may benefit all your landscaping. Choose plants that you love and will flourish in your area.
What to do with sunken area after rain?
If you have a sunken area in your landscaping where the water loves to pool after a rainstorm, then a rain garden may be a perfect solution. There are many different plants that you can grow in this area. Many of them are native plants, which usually have fewer disease and insect problems.
What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is purposely constructed in a shallow, depression with sloping sides and a slight downward incline so that it will hold water just long enough for the water to be absorbed into the ground. Not just functional, rain gardens can be a beautiful addition to your landscaping.
Why are grasses good for rain gardens?
Grasses are uniquely suited to rain gardens not only because of their ability to adapt to a variety of condition, but also because of their year-round beauty. Grasses add interest to the garden in even the bleakest times of the year.
Why is rainscaping important?
One of the major elements in rainscaping is the addition of rain gardens specifically designed to capture stormwater runoff and allow it to be absorbed into the ground or to evaporate into the atmosphere.
Is swamp milkweed hardy?
They are hardy in zones 3 – 8. One of my personal favorites, Swamp Milkweed is a reliable performer in the basin of a rain garden. Its rose colored blossoms, which begin in midsummer, have a gentle, vanilla fragrance, and can be used for cut flowers.
Is Monarda a deer resistant plant?
Monarda works well on the slopes of the rain garden and is resistant to deer. Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to it, and bees relish it! Monarda is another deer resistant plant. It is hardy in zones 4 – 8. Another variety that has seen improvement is the garden phlox.
Acer circinatum (Vine Maple)
Acer circinatum (Vine Maple) is most commonly grown as a spreading bushy large shrub, but it will occasionally form a small to medium-sized tree. Low-branched, multi-stemmed in habit, it usually develops multi-trunks with bright, reddish-green bark.
Acorus calamus 'Variegatus' (Variegated Sweet Flag)
Ideal for wet areas, Acorus calamus 'Variegatus' (Variegated Sweet Flag) is an attractive herbaceous perennial forming a tuft of gracefully arching, narrow, sword-shaped leaves adorned with creamy-white and green stripes. Often displaying a nice pink tinge in cold weather, the foliage is sweetly fragrant when bruised.
Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag)
Ideal for wet areas, Acorus calamus (Sweet Flag) is a spreading, marginal aquatic perennial forming a tuft of erect, sword-shaped, bright green leaves adorned with one slightly wavy edge and a prominent midrib. In late spring, this plant bears inconspicuous greenish-yellow flowers in finger-like inflorescences, 2-4 in.
Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' (Golden Variegated Sweet Flag)
Ideal for wet areas, Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' (Golden Variegated Sweet Flag) is a semi-evergreen herbaceous perennial forming an attractive tuft of gracefully arching, narrow, sword-shaped, golden-yellow leaves adorned with olive green stripes. The foliage is sweetly fragrant when bruised and evergreen in mild winter areas.
Adiantum capillus-veneris (Southern Maidenhair Fern)
Adiantum capillus-veneris (Southern Maidenhair Fern) is a slowly spreading, semi-evergreen fern forming a mound of gently arching or pendant, twice divided, delicate fronds adorned with wiry, black stems.
Adiantum pedatum (Northern Maidenhair Fern)
One of the most sought-after ferns, Adiantum pedatum (Northern Maidenhair Fern) is a deciduous perennial fern with handsome, black shiny stems and graceful, bright green fronds spreading horizontally in a circular pattern.
Alnus serrulata (Smooth Alder)
Most attractive, Alnus serrulata (Smooth Alder) is a large, spreading deciduous shrub or small tree of pyramidal habit with a densely branched canopy. Its multi-stemmed trunks are covered with shiny gray-brown bark. The foliage of undulating, elliptic to obovate, glossy green leaves, 2-4 in. long (5-10 cm), turns yellow-brown in the fall.
What plants help with storm water?
Plants of all types and sizes help to manage storm water, so it’s a good idea to plan for a range of species! Trees and large shrubs deflect rainfall, slowing it down before it reaches the ground, which allows it to better soak into the soil and not run off immediately.
What to do with rain water in a garden?
A rain garden is a beautiful addition to your landscape, and a great way to support more biodiversity in an environmentally sustainable way.
What is the best nectar for monarch butterflies?
Butterfly weed ( Asclepias tuberosa), which features orange blossoms that provide excellent nectar for butterflies. In addition, the plants are an important larval food for monarch butterflies. 2 to 3 feet tall; Zones 4 to 9. Three plants.
How to make a basin for a garden?
Create a basin by digging out dirt from a dry area at least 10 feet away from the foundation of yourhouse and downhill from the water source.
How does rain garden help the environment?
A cleaner environment.
What are the plants that are deer resistant?
6 to 12 inches high and wide; Zones 3 to 8. Seven plants. Foam flower (Tiarella cordifolia), which is a deer-resistant plant with white flowers in spring.
What is the best iris to plant in a rain garden?
Blue flag iris (Iris versicolor), which brightens the rain garden with lavender-blue flowers in the spring. It looks very natural in a wet setting. Avoid the yellow flag iris (Iris pseudacorus), which is an invasive species that will take over. 2 to 4 feet tall; Zones 3 to 9. Four plants.
How to Choose Rain Garden Plants
Once you’ve dug a basin, use a soil tester to see if your soil needs amendments. If it does, work them into the soil.
The Best Rain Garden Plants for Sun to Part Shade
Read plant tags and labels to find plants for sun or partial shade and choose plants that need the growing conditions your yard offers. Rain gardens are not recommended for fully shaded areas. Sun or partly sunny sites are best, although some rain garden plants can thrive in partial shade.
Butterfly Weed
Butterfly weed is a good rain garden choice. These plants provide food for monarch butterflies in the larval stage, while their orange flowers lure adults butterflies with nectar. They reach two to three feet high and are recommended for USDA Gardening Zones 4 to 9.
Bee Balm
Bee balm, or monarda, attracts hummingbirds and butterflies with its pink, white or red flowers. These rain garden plants grow about three feet tall and wide and grow best in full sun. They're recommended for Zones 3 to 9.
Astilbes
Long-lived astilbes are perennials that grow best if they’re planted where they get some shade from the hot afternoon sun. Look for their flowers in white, red, purple and pink. The plants mature at one to three feet tall and thrive in Zones 3 to 8.
Daylilies
Perennial daylilies are available in tall or short, compact varieties and bloom in shades of yellow, red, pink, purple and white. In mild winter climates, some daylily foliage stays evergreen or semi-evergreen. Some will bloom continuously for as long as four weeks. Daylilies will grow in Zones 3 to 8, depending on the variety.
Rhododendrons
You can mix short, medium and tall plants in your rain garden, but don't let tall ones shade shorter plants that need sun. Rhododendrons are a good choice for partial sun and can tolerate the damp soil of a rain garden. They're best planted in Zones 4 to 8 although some are cold-hardy to Zone 3.
