Calling all Green Thumbs

Published May 8, 2015 | By admin

By Tim Langer – Lake Management Committee

Recently I’ve been thinking of other ways I can beautify my yard while also helping protect our communities greatest resource. My research led me to a rain garden.

What is a Rain Garden you may ask? Well, a rain garden is an attractive, landscaped area planted with perennial native plants, which don’t mind getting “wet feet.” They are beautiful gardens, built in depressions, which are designed to capture and filter storm water runoff from impervious surfaces around the home, such as rooftops and driveways. Some of the benefits of rain gardens include their ability to perform the following functions: Help keep water clean by filtering storm water runoff before it enters our lake. Help alleviate problems associated with flooding and drainage. Enhance the beauty of individual yards and our community. Provide habitat and food for wildlife including birds and butterflies.

Why do we need Rain Gardens? As we continue to develop the Village of Roaming Shores, impervious surfaces such as rooftops, driveways and roads shed water. This increases the opportunity for pollution to flow directly into our lake. Some examples of those pollutants include fertilizer, pesticides, pet waste, grass clippings and yard debris. An easy way to help keep these pollutants out of our lake is to install a rain garden.

Installing a rain garden can be a fairly simple process, involving a shovel and a bit of physical energy. The size and style of your rain garden will depend on a number of factors including: the size of your yard, whether you are trying to create a formal or informal looking garden, and the amount of money you want to spend. Remember, you can never have a rain garden which is too small large or too small. Any size rain garden can contribute to solving water quality problems and will be a beautiful addition to your property!

Go native! Using native plants in your rain garden is highly recommended. The benefits of using native plants in your garden are multiple but a few key benefits include their ability to adapt to our local weather and soil conditions and their ability to attract local butterflies and birds. Remember to avoid planting invasive exotic species. While they will grow, they do not belong here.

As I have learned and I hope you do too, a rain garden may be the perfect addition to your yard’s landscape and mine and to our beautiful lake community. If you are interested in learning more about rain gardens, please read the complete Rain Garden Manual by visiting the Geauga County Soil and Water District website www.geaugaswcd.com and look for the Manual under their Publications tab.

Love the Lake and BE LAKE RESPONSIBLE!