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Digging the south swale.
Measuring rubber to line swale.
Lining the sloped swale with rubber so water will flow towards the garden.
Testing slope of the swale.
Swales are lined with stone.
Water drips from the roof onto the rock.
Down spouts from gutters flow into swales.
Swales are pitched so they drain to the corners.
Rain garden begins at the lowest part of the swales.
The garden is dug deep enough to hold all the water from a one inch rain event.
See the Vermont Rain Garden Manual to calculate the dimensions and depth.
This garden was finished in about 6 hours.
The Career Development Center horticulture class stepped in to help plant.
The CDC dug a second rain garden, 20' by 20'. They planted shrubs that thrive in wet areas.
The students helped us transplant some perennials we had on site.
Working together to get the second garden done, we finished in only 2 hours.
Thanks to the CDC, we have two rain gardens installed and only one more to go!
The garden should be deep enough to hold all the water from a one inch rain storm.
If the garden is not level, the rain will puddle at one end.
Water should drain from the garden in 6 hours.
If the garden does not drain; remove the plants and amend the soil.
Compacted soil should be broken. Add good quality top soil to increase drainage.