BUCKINGHAMSHIRE LANDSCAPE GARDENERS
  • Home
  • Landscaping
    • Decking
    • Driveways
    • Garden Patios
    • Garden drainage
    • Fencing
    • Turfing
    • Planting
    • Landscape Gardeners Amersham
  • Design
    • Landscaping Ideas
  • Privacy Policy
  • News
  • Contact

How to make a rain garden

3/7/2022

1 Comment

 
How to make a rain garden
This article contains affiliate links


Rain gardens can be a fun and exciting way to manage water around your property. Not only can they provide a method of sustainable water management they can also become attractive landscape features.

​There is no better way to create something exciting and educational with the storm runoff from around your property!
​

What is a rain garden?


​A rain garden is a small section of landscape which is designed to absorb water from the home.

It is typical for these to take the shape of a shallow depression or swale where water can run to. These can be planted with wetland or bog plants to create a wetland habitat.

However, rain gardens can be much more elaborate affairs! Water runoff can be channelled into decorative channels and custom built water features.

​An element of aesthetic design and engineering can be implemented to represent the natural process of the natural landscape. 
​
rain garden

Why build a rain garden?


​Sustainable water management is an ever increasing environmental issue today. The expansion of urban development’s has led to accelerated storm runoff and flooding.

Toxic chemicals and substances are washed from hard surfaces into the drainage network.
This polluted water finds its way into natural watercourses and wetland basins. This can lead to aquatic ecosystems becoming poisoned with chemicals.

Not only does this kill wildlife but add toxins to the hydraulic cycle which we need to survive.
Consequently absorbing the storm water from your home is good for the wider environment.

This water can be collected in retention ponds or water butts for irrigation during the summer. 
​
car park bioswale
Furthermore rain gardens encourage the creation of wetland habitats. These are good for encouraging wildlife and beneficial species which eat pests.

Rain gardens can also be very educational for children. If designed well they can demonstrate a sustainable relationship between the landscape and the home. They illustrate the process of the hydraulic cycle and how natural systems are vital for our own survival.

On top of these reasons to create a rain garden they can also look absolutely fantastic! There are so many interesting and beautiful ways they can be implemented into a garden.  

Sustainable urban drainage


Sustainable urban drainage or (SUDS) are various methods and strategies to sustainably manage landscape water. The main aim of SUDS is to slow water runoff and allow it to be reabsorbed into the landscape.

During this process water should fed slowly through a series of manmade wetlands. These habitats should slowly clean the water of toxins by running through the roots of wetland plants.

There are many installations which come under the umbrella of Sustainable Urban Drainage. Some of these include green roofs, permeable paving, bioswales, seasonal flooding ponds, and bog gardens 
​

Wetland garden

Designing your rain garden


When planning your rain garden think about where you would like to collect the water from. Think of ingenious ways to collect the water and create a feature out of it.

You may want to incorporate a decorate, gravel, gulley along a seating area that fills up during heavy rain. You may want to channel all the water into a seasonal, flooding, pond.

This could be in a gated off nature area where you could wildlife watch with the family. Sketch out a plan of some of your ideas and how they could be implemented.

Working out your catchment 


​A good thing to do if you are planning on diverting large volumes of water is do some calculations. You want to make sure that your new rain garden will not be overwhelmed in heavy rain.

A good thing to do is measure the surface area of your water catchment area. For example, if the water is coming from your roof find out how many square metres it is.

Then you will have to times this amount by your areas average, annual, rainfall. This will then provide you with the amount of water a given area can expect per year in cubic metres.

The calculation will give you some idea of the scale needed for your rain garden. 
​
taking notes

Rain garden elements


There are so many methods and landscape features which can go into a rain gardens design. There are so many good precedent images, examples and ideas to be discovered online.

Find image examples of rain gardens you like and think about how you could implement them into your project.  Below we have described some of the typical features and elements of rain gardens. 

Gravel streams


Gravel streams are a decorative way to channel water from one location to another. These can simply be patio drainage chambers filled with a shallow depth of gravel.

However they can also become prominent landscape features with decorate pebbles and aggregates. Guttering can be piped into hand worked concrete depressions with flat pebbles pushed into the surface.

This can create a dry river bed effect and feed into other wetland gardens. 
​
Gravel stream

Bio swales

Bio swales are landscape depressions which allow water to be reabsorbed into the landscape.

These are usually gentle, linear ditches which transport water along a particular route. Storm water is fed into one end where it travels across the landscape slowly being reabsorbed.  

​Bio swales can become a feature in their own right and planted with wetland plants. 
​
Bioswale

Retention ponds


Retention ponds are basically ponds which retain surface water run off. These can be simply be glorified tanks which store water for when it’s needed.

This is very useful for use during the summer months which provides a sustainable irrigation solution. Alternatively retention ponds can be wildlife ponds which are fed by run off from the home.

These can be designed with subsequent overflow ponds for times of extreme rainfall. 
​
retention ponds

Cobble moats

​
Cobble moats can be an exciting way to landscape a rain garden. One way of doing this is by creating the illusion of a river flowing across your yard. Moats can be excavated and lined like any other garden, pond, feature.

Clad the moat with large cobbles so you do not see the liner when the water is low. These can be bedded on top of mortar so they stay in position.

In times of heavy rain water can be channelled into the moat causing seasonal variation. You could build a series of deck bridges over the moat which creates an exciting journey. 

Seasonal flooding wetlands


Seasonal flooding wetlands are landscape depressions which except water during times of heavy rain. These work in a very similar way to bio-swales but in a more concentrated area.

Generally these are designed as a central pond with surrounding bog areas. There is a central deep, plunge, to the pond which stays full for most of the year. During times of heavy rain the wetland slowly fills absorbing the run off naturally.

Seasonally flooding wetlands are an extremely rare habitat type and vital for specific species. This makes them a great ecological installation into your rain garden. 
​
Seasonal flooding wetland

Bog gardens


Bog gardens are wetland features which aim to recreate natural bogs or swamps. These are generally built like a pond but shallower and wider. Pond liners are set deep into the ground and then filled with soil.

The bog is then filled up with water to create a saturated garden. These are then planted with bog plants and left to establish.

Bog gardens can look really effective with old tree trunks and ferns around the perimeter. Rain gardens can feed directly into bog gardens which make great wildlife habitat. 
​
Bog garden
​Thank you for reading our article on how to make a rain garden. If you require a rain garden or wetland designed and built why not contact us. We are experts in sustainable urban drainage and ecological wetland creation. 

​Alternatively if you are creating your rain garden yourself you could visit our landscaping resource page. 


Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture


'As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases'
1 Comment
vidmate link
4/22/2022 01:46:07 am

nks for sharing the article, and more importantly, your personal experience mindfully using ourdcsc emotions as data about our inner state and knowing when it’s better to de-escalate by taking a time out are great tools. Appreciate you reading and sharing your story since I can certainly relate and I think others can to

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    The Author 
    Paul Nicolaides 
    BA (Hons) Dip

    Paul Nicolaides has over 30 years of recreational gardening and 20 years of professional landscaping experience. He has worked for landscape contractors including design and build practices across London and the South East. In 2006 he qualified with a BA Hons degree and post graduate diploma in Landscape Architecture. In 2009 he founded Ecospaces an ecological landscaping practice which aims to improve social cohesion and reduce climate change through landscaping. In 2016 he founded Buckinghamshire Landscape Gardeners which designs and builds gardens across Buckinghamshire and the South East. This blog aims to provide easy problem solving information to its audience and encourage others to take up the joy of landscaping and gardening. 
Landscaping services across Buckinghamshire, Norfolk & East Anglia 

Hyde Heath, Amersham, Buckinghamshire

Rockland All Saints, Attleborough, Norfolk
Read our Google Reviews
Picture

What Our Clients Are Saying

​Paul laid a very curvy brick mow strip all around our lawn and also added a circular patio and added some new grassed areas. He paid so much attention to each brick laid to make sure the end results was perfect. Despite the wet and muddy work everything was made good and looked amazing once finished. His enthusiasm and knowledge for the garden and plants was infectious. He even fixed a couple of broken paving slabs that he saw down our side alley without being asked It is refreshing to see someone take so much pride and care in their work and we would definitely book him again for any other garden project."
Privacy Policy

Contact Us

Call me on 07535228686

    Newsletter Subscription

Subscribe to Newsletter
Photos from Maggie Hoffman, Aaron Volkening, Darlene Roelofsen, David Paul Ohmer, denis.zabin, Permaculture Association, Bill Selak, The fixed factor, The Garden Smallholder, Tauralbus, nan palmero, Lee Cannon, Monkeystyle3000, Darlene Roelofsen, nicolas.boullosa, Bryn Pinzgauer, cattan2011, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Matthew Paul Argall, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), tdlucas5000, Acabashi, Ronald (Ron) Douglas Frazier, Gilles Gonthier, Martin Hesketh, Owen P, steve p2008, Bennilover, *_*, blumenbiene, Julianna, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), Daryll90ca, Wendell Smith, Acabashi, Decorative Concrete Kingdom, Permaculture Association, MizGingerSnaps, Tjflex2, wuestenigel, travel oriented, Aaron Volkening, shixart1985, SupportPDX, pete. #hwcp, MostlyDross, Local Food Initiative, Ronald Douglas Frazier, Oregon State University, perfectgrassltd, shixart1985 (CC BY 2.0), aarongunnar, Acabashi, Actual Brian Crawford, jeans_Photos, alh1, Darlene Roelofsen, Rromani from Romania, docoverachiever, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), tawalker, markfountain52, Maria Eklind, treegrow, deckerme, Kevan, richardghawley, Ivan Radic, Mark Wordy, garryknight, Matt Lavin, greger.ravik, Capt' Gorgeous, LWT Gunnersbury Triangle, Wonderlane, Rudi1976, stonescape, Dinesh Valke, troutcolor, Acabashi, Juhele_CZ, Darlene Roelofsen, pikkuanna, tdlucas5000, Jocey K, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), Acabashi, focusonmore.com, BethinAZ, zoetnet, kurt.stocker, Monkeystyle3000, ell brown, Bryn Pinzgauer, Mark Wordy, infomatique, Linda N., Armcon Precast, Tinkers Moon, AnnSophieQ, mikecogh, Bob Klannukarn, Aiko, Thomas & Juliette+Isaac, ChrisHamby, Alessandro_Corsoni, Stiller Beobachter, GLVF, denisbin, MizGingerSnaps, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), garryknight, goforchris, Dick Thompson Sandian, alljengi, Paul Comstock, Kelowna09, Decorative Concrete Kingdom, Kanesue, BlossomPDX, Wonderlane, alh1, PAUL (Van de Velde) -Fotografie, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), Paul and Jill, Gilles Gonthier, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), katunchik, thinkactlove, gidlark, jugreen_de, Ivan Radic, tompagenet, corsi photo, www.to-tuscany.com, Mark Wordy, UC Davis Arboretum & Public Garden, Aaron Volkening, Mark AC Photos, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, arripay, denisbin, alans1948, wallygrom, Frank.Vassen, alh1, Scottb211, LenkinDesign, wallygrom, Mike Bonitz, Aaron Volkening, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), juliamaudlin, dwblakey, Jocelyn777 Love Europe, mikecogh, jeans_Photos, Corey Leopold, Jeremy Levine Design, Kaibab National Forest Photography, Ciarán Mooney, onnola, 35mmMan, longlabcomms, nc.hort, Jamiecat *, pom'., Puddin Tain, Acabashi, tompagenet, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), Loz Flowers, Alan Stanton, Darlene Roelofsen, Ivan Radic (CC BY 2.0), denisbin, Darlene Roelofsen, zakzak7, Center for Neighborhood Technology, wht_wolf9653, LenkinDesign, HerryLawford, FoodCraftLab, Miranda J Wood, Key West Wedding Photography, Montgomery County Planning Commission, bienen-nachrichten.de, zaphad1, SupportPDX, Ronald (Ron) Douglas Frazier, itmpa, Judy Gallagher, SteveR-, kylehase, simonmgc, treegrow, garryknight, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, el cajon yacht club, cattan2011, Ed Bierman, mikecogh, Mike Prince, photofarmer, M. Martin Vicente, Darlene Roelofsen, La Citta Vita, Mary Gillham Archive Project, Puddin Tain, sustainablejill, ScotGov Rural, Macleay Grass Man, Andesine, denisbin, *_*, samsaundersleeds, onnola, James St. John, Pixelteufel, www.twin-loc.fr, The359, F. D. Richards, berniedup, Monkeystyle3000, Mark AC Photos, Mark Wordy, michael clarke stuff, La Citta Vita, jeremy_norbury, gbohne, jmeissen, blumenbiene, Scrap Pile, eibar, Allan Hack, 4nitsirk, Phil Gayton, Michele Dorsey Walfred, Ruth and Dave, AnnSophieQ, pete. #hwcp, regina11163, Matt Lavin, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, TANAKA Juuyoh (田中十洋), john.purvis, MikeHawkwind, Key West Wedding Photography, alh1, hardworkinghippy : La Ferme de Sourrou, tristanf, shixart1985, blumenbiene, Paul Comstock, Michele Dorsey Walfred, Seattle Parks & Recreation, MCristian2013, Ruth and Dave, alh1, Matt From London, Ruth and Dave, Matt Lavin, ndrwfgg, Mara ~earth light~ free potential, radio silence, wallygrom, Maria Eklind, brewbooks, denisbin, Maria Eklind, F. D. Richards, Tauralbus, samsaundersbristol, carolinezimmermann.com, Maria Eklind, roger4336, MAMM Miguel Angel, Jeanne Menjoulet, Mark Wordy, Mark Wordy, stanzebla, hardworkinghippy : La Ferme de Sourrou, wbaiv, Tauralbus, Sharon Mollerus, dsearls, denisbin, OregonDOT, Tatiana12, ell brown, puffin11uk, Croydon Clicker, LodestonePhotography, Ronald Douglas Frazier, Tauralbus, basak senova, Vicky Brock, Ivan Radic, dalbera, Melanie-m, La Citta Vita, Ross A Hall, alh1, Allan Henderson, Sharon Mollerus, SJU Undergraduate Admissions, dungodung, Sustainable Economies Law Center, Puddin Tain, alh1, Firebirdflame, Deanster1983 who's mostly off, gbohne, ell brown, grassrootsgroundswell, gertjanvannoord, thetalesend, Tony Armstrong-Sly, Mark Wordy, Hub☺, rcamboim, Sandrine Rouja, Oregon State University, Darlene Roelofsen, danciminera, harum.koh, Baugher Webmaster Services, HerryLawford, Gail Frederick, wallygrom, Neilhooting, Arnie Papp, foilman, Stephi 2006, Mom the Barbarian, Ivan Radic, 雷太, Arty Guerillas, marcoverch, JPC24M, Chik_v, mikecogh, Robert T Bell, LenkinDesign, sugarfrizz, mikecogh, heyexit, grabadonut, JohnSeb, alljengi, Permaculture Association, LennyWorthington, wallygrom, waferboard, wallygrom, STC4blues, gailhampshire, RJJ245, travelling_eidolon, Me in ME, prof.bizzarro, foilman, Maurizio Albissola.com, dejankrsmanovic, André Hofmeister, It's No Game, Sterling College, wallygrom, Permaculture Association, Martin Cooper Ipswich, hardworkinghippy : La Ferme de Sourrou, InvisibleGarden.org, irio.jyske, MeganEHansen, F. D. Richards, John Rusk, conall.., thatredhead4, tedeytan, tawalker, Vicky Brock, Infomastern, Paul and Jill, Starr Environmental, don_macauley, s1ng0, orangeaurochs, John McLinden, karenandbrademerson, wallygrom, Tobyotter, Sustainable Economies Law Center, akhouseproject, chimpwithcan, heystax, Puddin Tain, winecountrymedia, Landscape Design Advisor, Darlene Roelofsen, ell brown, Deanster1983 who's mostly off, Michele Dorsey Walfred, Günter Hentschel, watts_photos, Morgaine, 阿橋花譜 KHQ Flower Guide, Local Food Initiative, tdlucas5000, Ruth and Dave, BulletproofSloth, London Less Travelled, Andrew Stawarz, Michele Dorsey Walfred, midwestlawnandlandscape, Darlene Roelofsen, sybarite48, Pam_Broviak, Gail Frederick, massmatt, Grow It, Catch It, Cook It, D H Wright, chuck b., Maria Eklind, wuestenigel, amandabhslater, timo_w2s, 666isMONEY ☮ ♥ & ☠, Wendell Smith, shixart1985, gailhampshire, mriggen, poppet with a camera, James St. John, liveoncelivewild, urbanfoodie33, wallygrom, onnola, shixart1985, Darien Library, emmacraig1, wuestenigel, laijos, matsuyuki, Monkeystyle3000, anoldent, alh1, mikecogh, HerryLawford, MeganEHansen, Michele Dorsey Walfred, cattan2011, ScotGov Rural, North Charleston, juantiagues, Rosmarie Voegtli, pstenzel71, RaeAllen, Edna Winti, Matt Lavin, S∆M.I.∆M, alh1, Starr Environmental, comedy_nose, Alizarin Krimson, jmlwinder, sebastian.rittau, mikecogh, Scott McLeod, alh1, Mark Wordy, shixart1985, transport131, Nick Saltmarsh, owlhere, Maria Eklind, agulivanov, woodleywonderworks, Darlene Roelofsen, Ivan Radic, Paakkonen Photo, ell brown, Smoobs, liesvanrompaey, stonescape, Darlene Roelofsen, AndreyZharkikh, Larry Lamsa, wallygrom, cazalegg, *_*, Charles Patrick Ewing, kamirao, cricketsblog, Mary Gillham Archive Project, deczak, Doolallyally, RASSIL, Smudge 9000, Loz Flowers, stanzebla, Acabashi, treegrow, jmlwinder, HerryLawford, edenpictures, wlcutler, shaire productions, S John Davey, Doolallyally, Percita, Prof. Mortel, Björn S..., mikecogh, @tc_goatwriter, *_*, Frank.Vassen, Robbie1, foilman, garryknight, EliteBalustradeImages, Derek N Winterburn, Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism, redirockphotodatabase, alh1, yewchan, Gunnar Ries zwo, hedera.baltica, itmpa, bluefootedbooby, john shortland, Fiberon, Center for Neighborhood Technology, Aaron Volkening, yellow book, M. Martin Vicente, David Paul Ohmer, amandabhslater, Dinesh Valke, jeans_Photos, grongar, arripay, Maria Eklind, Phil Gayton, Anton Rannala, amandabhslater, patrick_standish, Akuppa, cristina.sanvito, Puddin Tain, waferboard, Mark Wordy, Mike Bonitz, Juanedc, Björn S..., Clive Varley, vastateparksstaff, madaise, edenpictures, plentyofants, kitmasterbloke, barnoid, mark.hogan, chuck b., F. D. Richards, Ivan Radic, *rboed*, sustainablejill, Martin Pettitt, Thien Gretchen, Atmovera, mikecogh, Wildroof, tompagenet, jacilluch, wlcutler, stanzebla, La Citta Vita, Rob.Bertholf, Landscape Design Advisor, Aaron Volkening, osiristhe, MarilynJane, wallygrom, spinster, Maria Eklind, hedera.baltica, kewl, Dave_S., Julia Manzerova, Landscape Design Advisor, ActiveSteve, onnola, mikecogh, Ankur Panchbudhe, Phil Gayton, Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com, Tatters ✾, ianpreston, Ruth and Dave, wallygrom, titanium22, T.Kiya, PAUL (Van de Velde) -Fotografie, stanzebla - voyage voyage, yellow book, Aaron Volkening, MeganEHansen, puffin11uk, Maria Eklind, TravelBakerCounty, Acabashi, Keith Laverack, quinet, anro0002, NSPaul, mikecogh, sybarite48, amandabhslater, ell brown, alljengi, wallygrom, LWT Gunnersbury Triangle, the real Kam75, mikecogh, lupisfer, piropiro3, Beverly Pearl, hedera.baltica, Deanster1983 who's mostly off, edenpictures, berriehol, Mick E. Talbot, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, string_bass_dave, danperry.com, Peter Curbishley, sybarite48, alh1, M. Martin Vicente, Amarnath, loutraje, conall.., goforchris, USFWS Headquarters, ianpreston, F. D. Richards, quinet, jmlwinder, carabou, wallygrom, wallygrom, engcon, nicolas.boullosa, wwarby, fringedbenefit, Crinklecrankle.com, Jim Morefield, F. D. Richards, MizGingerSnaps, Lauren Gutierrez, Tim Green aka atoach, daryl_mitchell, wallygrom, yewchan, Green Mountain Girls Farm, Darlene Roelofsen, HerryLawford, treegrow, Kirt Edblom, Eric Kilby, Barbara Walsh Photography, Jocelyn777 Love Europe, CaptainOates, Acabashi, Ninara31, amandabhslater, wickenden, ShebleyCL, sunshinecity, Ivan Radic, Matt Lavin, James St. John, quinet, goforchris, [email protected], cattan2011, Kaibab National Forest Photography, dollarclassics, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, Jocelyn777 Love Europe, Andrew Coombes, cwellsny, JeepersMedia, amandabhslater, wallygrom, alh1, Mark Wordy, Thank You (22 Millions+) views, USDAgov, Acabashi, F. D. Richards, Macleay Grass Man, Alexander C. Kafka, Darlene Roelofsen, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, wahoowins, andres musta, Mary Gillham Archive Project, wallygrom, Russ2009, Permaculture Association, Rennett Stowe, Ruth and Dave, F. D. Richards, Teddy Mafia, texturepalace, puffin11uk, georgegillams, Darlene Roelofsen, crustmania, denisbin, waferboard, denisbin, Audire Silentium, LenkinDesign, akfoto, MeganEHansen, amandabhslater, Ivan Radic, Matt Lavin, frankieleon, redirockphotodatabase, jeremy_norbury, PavingDirect.com, Justin Beckley, wallygrom, Acabashi, 阿橋花譜 KHQ Flower Guide, wallygrom, Acabashi, talaakso, Robert.Pittman, Jeanne Menjoulet, quattroman76, Björn S..., Rushen!, Ivan Radic, sam_churchill, pdinnen, amandabhslater, La Citta Vita, judy dean, Landscape Design Advisor, charcoal soul, jinxmcc, m.borden, Landscape Design Advisor, Andreas März, gliak00, romana klee, masae-photo, Derek N Winterburn, daryl_mitchell, trekkyandy, Local Food Initiative, D.Eickhoff, *_*, BlossomPDX, goosmurf, Peter O'Connor aka anemoneprojectors, Doolallyally, Jim Morefield, "Besenbinder", Anika Malone, Elsa Blaine, Local Food Initiative, wallygrom, Isaszas, @tc_goatwriter, M. Martin Vicente, watts photos1, harum.koh, platycryptus, hardworkinghippy : La Ferme de Sourrou, NRCS Oregon, Darlene Roelofsen, Ivan Radic, MizGingerSnaps, Me in ME, John Brighenti, adamnsinger, jeremy_norbury, gailhampshire, pdbreen, Torquay Palms, wallygrom, MeganEHansen, jlodder, randihausken, Tony Webster, onnola, Earl Ruby, The National Guard, Bods, amandabhslater, Bennilover, corsi photo, PavingDirect.com, Tobyotter, MeganEHansen, andres musta, Darlene Roelofsen, Tony Webster, Darlene Roelofsen, Mike Bonitz, Aaron Volkening, conall.., Bennilover, mikecogh, marthelelièvre, ell brown, cvtperson, Ruth and Dave
  • Home
  • Landscaping
    • Decking
    • Driveways
    • Garden Patios
    • Garden drainage
    • Fencing
    • Turfing
    • Planting
    • Landscape Gardeners Amersham
  • Design
    • Landscaping Ideas
  • Privacy Policy
  • News
  • Contact