Rain Garden Plants

Kitsap PUD has a new rain garden! I mentioned to Teresa Brooks from Kitsap Conservation District that our office needed one and it was no sooner said that done!

Teresa Brooks from Kitsap Conservation District getting ready to plant.

Rain Gardens collect rain water off of parking lots and driveways or any impervious surface. The rain garden contains a special mixture of soil that allows this water to slowly percolate into the ground rather than rush down the storm drains. Besides soil, the magic ingredient to the Rain Garden is plants.
 

Kerri Cechovic from Washington Enviroinmental Council digs right in.

Jenny Morgan, Landscape Architect from the Conservation District, designed the Garden and its plant design. She and Teresa carefully set out the 480 plants. Kerri Cechovic from the Washington Environmental Council arrived. She was soon followed by seven local volunteers to help plant.

volunteers planting the garden

The Rain Garden is designed as a depression with room for six inches of water. Planted in  this area,  are plants that like wet feet, but can tolerate completely drying out during the summer. These plants are slough sedge, small fruited bullrush, baby blue eyes and iris.

The finished rain garden

Along the outside edges are dought tolerant plants that won't need watering once established. They include rudbeckia, Nepeta Walker Low, Heuchera, Geranium Biokova and a few Spiraea Magic Carpet and some low growing Dogwoods.

Hannah, the youngest volunteer planter

 KPUD appreciates help from Teresa and Jenny from the conservation district and, especially appreciates the volunteers who came to plant  on a hot evening in September.

Teresa has a goal of 1,000 Rain Gardens in Kitsap. She even has $500 to match each homeowner's cost of building one on their property. Contact Teresa for more information.