Installing Raingardens with Sustainble Fairfax!

Despite Sunday Jan. 17^th’s rain, a dozen happy rain gardeners’ braved the elements, truly showing their commitment to improving our community by installing a rain garden at the Smiths’ Home in Fairfax.

We installed a 300 gallon rain catchment tank that would help maximize rainwater infiltration into the soil and mitigate flooding. Right away participants began digging; creating berms and mimicking natures dry creek swale by slowing, sinking and spreading the rain water throughout the landscape.

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Pam with enthusiasm, demonstrated how to add added some gorgeous rocks to the garden. 

Mulch was then added to create a “living sponge” thus helping to build fertility into the soil. Mulch aids in the retention of water into the soil, inhibits weed growth and protects the soil from eroding. Mulch for The Smiths’ garden was provided free by local Vaccaro’s Tree Service.

Paola mentioned to the homeowner that if she added compost to the rain garden it would help feed essential micro-organisms that would assist in establishing good drainage.  

To complete the rain garden, native plants were added. Natives were chosen because they are genetically designed to grow deep roots and live on little to no water on they are established. Their roots will repair the nitrogen and carbon, filter pollutants and improve drainage. Along with planting natives, we also chose drought tolerant and deer resistant plants that we picked up from O’Donnell’s in Fairfax. 

We finished just in time for all the wonderful rain too!  We spent our lunch time learning a practical mix of information (i.e.; how to calculate how much rainwater comes off our homes, the function and design of rain gardens, and more) while  putting our hands on learning to the test, with gorgeous results.  We could almost hear the salmon fining their thanks!  

At the end of the day, participants learned that by feeding some of this storm water into a rain garden on their properties, we can each contribute to minimizing all of these problems, as well as recharge ground water and enrich our garden soil!

If you were unable to attend this workshop and/or would be interested in attending one in the future email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it