Is there a pond in your front yard?

Story and photos by Joanne K., Pitt County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer

Did Tropical Storm Debby leave standing water in your yard? Did the stormwater runoff wash away the soil or gravel in your garden?

This was a problem at the the Pitt County Arboretum, where stormwater run-off from the Extension Building roof  washed out the soil in the old rose garden (which had been removed due to rose rosette disease) onto the parking lot.

Water from Tropical Storm Debby slowly drains from the rain garden.

Water-tolerant plants, including irises, spiderwort, and a variety of native plants, such as Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Goldenrod (Solidago rugosa), and Pink Muhlygrass (Muhlenbergia capilliaris), were planted in the gardens.

These plants tolerate both wet and arid conditions. Using native plants creates a garden that is both beautiful and beneficial year round.

To solve this problem, the Pitt County Soil and Water Conservation Office created two rain gardens in 2022 to trap the runoff and allow it to naturally filter through the plants, sediment, and soil in the garden.

This slow percolation through soil and plant roots removes pollutants. The plants in the rain garden absorb excess nutrients, further purifying the water.

Overflow from the beds is channeled into the stone-lined weir to a sewage drain.

Stones line the rain garden, directing the water flow to a sewage drain.

Pink Muhlygrass creates visual interest in the winter rain garden.

Daffodils bring some bright color to the winter rain garden.

Purple irises are a sign of spring in the rain garden.

According to Sound Rivers, a single rain garden can filter as much as 30,000 gallons of stormwater each year, and it's 30 percent more absorbent than a typical lawn.

As a natural filtration system, rain gardens provide a number of benefits for both the home owner and the environment:

1. Protect against flooding and drainage issues.
   
2. Increase the amount of water filtered into ground-recharging aquifers, which is particularly important in drought-prone areas.
   
3. Removes standing water from your yard.
4. Protects local streams and rivers from pollutants carried by stormwater, such as fertilizers, car fluids, salt, and pesticides.
5. Removes pollutants, reducing the strain on municipal storm sewer systems.
   
6.  Improves water quality by removing pollutants.
   
7.  Creates habitats for birds, butterflies, bees, and other beneficial insects and wildlife.
   

Yellow cannas thrive in the summer rain garden.

Cardinal flowers also grow well in the summer rain garden.

The Arboretum rain gardens were funded by a grant from the NC Community Conservation Assistance Program. This is the largest rain garden installed through the program.

Home gardeners interested in establishing a rain garden can contact the Soil and Water Conservation Office for assistance at 252-902-1746.

This blog was adapted from the information display board at the Pitt County Arboretum rain garden.

This informational sign at the Arboretum describes what rain gardens are and their benefits.

For more information, contact:

Plants for rain gardens:
https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/extgardener-rain-garden-plant-list/

Good links to sites on how to create a rain garden:
https://chatham.ces.ncsu.edu/rain-gardens/

Rain garden outline and recommended plants:
https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/students-youth/educators/Documents/rain-garden.pdf