How To Build a Rain Garden In Your Yard At Home

Landscaping your garden is one of the best investments you can make both towards the value of your home, as well as your own enjoyment. 

One of the features that most people forget about is a reliable rainwater drainage system (patios don’t do the work). 

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That is why we will do our best to highlight the benefits of having a rain garden in your yard

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How To Do It

Being stuck at home during the pandemic is not the most entertaining thing out there. However, given the circumstances, you might as well make the best of it by doing something great for your garden.

Not only will this feature be an effective drainage solution and filter all runoff water, but it will also provide low ground living spaces for birds and certain insects. Thus, a rain garden has practical value, and it also contributes to helping beautiful wildlife settle in.

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Before you start building the rain garden itself, you will want to find the lowest spot in your yard that is at least 10-15 yards away from the entrance of your home. Keep in mind that the best soil is the clay type, as it is the most effective when it comes to water percolation. 

Chances are you may not be 100% sure what soil type you have in your yard. In that case, we recommend that you call in a professional who will perform a test. While that may cost you a certain fee, it is worth every dime. 

If you are working with sandy soil, adding some compost and a bit of freshwater should do the trick and will result in optimal conditions. 

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Once you have assessed the type of soil you will be working with, the first step is to find native plants that thrive in wet conditions. You are better off planting plugs of the plants that are native to your area. The deeper the root system, the better the chance your rain garden will be successful.

Once you have done that, the second step is to plant a couple of marginal flowers that do good in pond-like environments. Our personal recommendation is that you go for cardinal flowers of scarlet roses. These are not beautiful, but they are able to withstand a shortage of water for a period of time.

Keep in mind that the main idea is that you are versatile with the planted foliage and that you ensure diversified texture, as well.

Maintaining a Rain Garden In Your Yard

Once you have built the rain garden as a drainage system and part of your landscape, it all comes down to maintenance. The first year is crucial. During that period of time, you will need to focus on mulching with hardwood regularly, as well as removing the weeds every 7-10 days.

Along with that, you should make sure that the water doesn’t overflow your plants. Thus, by digging a notch where the runoff water will escape you will prevent this issue.

Last but not least, make sure that you give your plants about one inch of water every week, as this is the best method of ensuring that they don’t dry out.

Reasons To Build a Rain Garden

As we have mentioned above, a rain garden in your yard will be of great benefit both to you and the wildlife around it. The main advantage is that it will protect you from floods and watersheds, due to the effective and slow drainage that it provides. 

Also, it will increase the value of your property as much as any other landscaping feature does. Not to mention, you will have a much lower issue with pest populations.

Lastly, the fact that this type of garden attracts beautiful wildlife into your yard will give you a reason to hope for rain every now and then.

Summary

With extra time during this stay-at-home period, you should make the best of it by improving your yard. 

Building a rain garden will work wonders, and most importantly, it doesn’t take a lot of time or resources, so just go for it!