Do you have excess water in your yard? This tends to be an issue if you have poor draining soil or if you have low spots in the yard. If you are looking to get rid of that extra rainwater we have an environmentally friendly solution for you, design a rain garden!
If you are not familiar with rain gardens they are designed to absorb run-off rainwater in your yard, it takes unique plants to make a rain garden successful so please take that into consideration when designing yours! When designing your garden you will have to consider a few factors, two being location and size. If you want this garden to work properly it will need to be located at the lowest point of your yard. You will need to also have it at least 10-12 feet away from your home.
The runoff water should be flowing downwards and flow directly into the rain garden. For greatest success try to design a garden between 100-350 square feet.You may need to redirect your runoff water in your yard so it all flows into your rain garden. This can be done by digging PVC piping into the ground and covering it with soil, helping the flow or water reach your rain garden.
You will need to prep the garden bed after your water has been redirected to flow towards the location. You can do this by digging out the center as the lowest point approximately 6-9 inches deep and the garden bed should slope gently to the middle lowest point. You can surround the garden with appealing rocks or pebbles to create a finished garden look.
When you go to plant your rain garden be sure to pick native plants that thrive in a wet environment. This garden is after all made for absorbing water so be sure to do extensive research on what will work best for your yard. When researching be sure to take note of where your rain garden is located geographically as well. Do you need plants that like more sun? Is your rain garden in a shaded area? This will help heighten the success of your garden's longevity. Also, don't forget to keep up with routine maintenance on your garden so it thrives for years to come!