Rain Garden Project
Installed August 2011




The decision to install a rain garden was based on a couple of factors. First, we were tired of the rain water gushing out of the downspouts and running down the sidewalk, washing away the mulch and making a mess. Second, we knew that storm water is a major cause of erosion and water pollution in the local streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Third, I hated the ugly grass (mostly weeds) in the back yard. Lastly, a rain garden was an opportunity to attract beneficial insects and birds with flowering plants and to provide a habitat for wildlife.

We tried rain barrels in the attempt to slow the discharge of rain water, but they couldn't handle the runoff from heavy storms. The solution was a rain garden that would collect the water in a basin to allow it to slowly infiltrate into the ground. The rain garden had to be sized large enough to handle rain water from a large roof area, so it needed to include an overflow area to handle the water from extended rains and heavy downpours.

The rain garden was dug out on August 4th by Severn Grove Ecological Design. I planted it on August 6th and over the next few days set the garden path stones and installed the river stone. I think it turned out beautiful, as well as functional. Over the years it will save a lot of water and pollutants from running into Flat Creek and the South River, all part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, which extends from New York to Virginia.



Many thanks go to:
  • Lara Mulvaney, our neighbor and resident Anne Arundel County Master Watershed Steward, for her assistance and advice.
  • Dennis Skaggs, owner of Severn Grove Ecological Design and his crew who did the digging.
  • Davidsonville Nursery for supplying the planting materials. They really have a great selection of plants at reasonable prices.


    • Enjoy the pictures, Jerry




    Before: shows the location of the future rain garden to be installed


    Shows where the overflow area will go


    View with the overflow area in the foreground


    View with the rain garden area in the foreground


    August 4: The Severn Grove crew starts to dig out the grass


    Getting ready to do some serious digging



    Dennis marking the outline of the rain garden basin



    Digging out the basin



    Replaced the irrigation pipe and covering it up.


    Digging the swale to the overflow area


    Dennis leveling the rain garden basin. The dark material is leafgro used to amend the soil and provide better drainage.


    August 6: Up to my elbows in dirt from planting. The planting materials include:

  • Panicum virgatum (Switch Grass)
  • Chelone glabra (Turtlehead)
  • Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed)
  • Carex stricta (Tussock Sedge)
  • Iris versicolor (Blue Flag)
  • Eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed)
  • Lobelia siphilitica (Cardinal Flower)
  • Physostegia virginiana (False Dragonhead)


    • Ponding from a 3" rain on August 13th but not enough to overflow.


    The water soaked in by the end of the day.


    Overhead view showing water collected after the 3" rain


    Rain garden after more planting


    Overflow garden area after planting


    View of entire garden area


    August 28, Hurricane Irene: The first real test.


    The rain garden starts to fill. Before the night is over the rain garden was completely filled.


    The overflow basin starts to fill up.


    The rain gauge overflowed at 6", but according to this map, we received around 8".


    The next morning, the rain garden had already drained by half and the overflow area was completely drained. It handled the storm with no problem and passed the test.




      Link to: Rain Garden Project Description document  

      Link to: South River Federation Blog: October Green Project of the Month  

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