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(See which plants are ideal candidates for growing in rain gardens, and learn how to choose the best for your own garden.)
When you select your rain garden plants, keep in mind that they should be Native Plants. They require less fertilizer and are more tolerant to the local climate, soil, and water conditions. Native plants also contribute to local habitats for native butterflies, birds, and beneficial insects. The plants also need to be able to withstand extreme moisture and dryness, as well as concentrations of nutrients such as Nitrogen and Phosphorus, which is found is rainwater runoff.
Common plants for a rain garden include wildflowers, ferns, grasses, sedges, small trees, and shrubs. You can be inspired by walking through various botanical centers, Sheraton, Intercontinental, or birmingham hotels gardens, or outdoor parks and river walks to see what they have planted in their area. Of course, the native plants vary by state, but there are resources to find what the native plants are in your region.
When you choose plants, get plants that are grown in containers with established root systems. Sowing plants is fun, but it doesn't work well in a rain garden. Flooding is hard on the seeds and will just wash them away. You can start plants from seeds indoors, grow them for a few months, and then plant them in your garden if you want.
When you are planting the garden, place the plants to make sure you like where they are. Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the container and deep enough to reach the crown of the plant at the soil line. You will need to water the plants after they are plated, and twice a week after that (unless it rains) until they are well established. After the first growing season you should not have to water the plants unless there is a long drought. |
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