Water is one of life’s basic building blocks. So getting the most out of this precious resource is essential in a beautiful landscape. In some areas of the country, residents use rain barrels to collect rainwater after it runs off their roof. They recycle the rainwater for use in their gardens and landscapes.
But did you know that rain barrels are illegal in Colorado? Our state has some complex laws and water rights regulations in place. Rest assured, there is another way. Rain gardens are an effective alternative many Coloradoans are learning how to take advantage of in their landscape.
Rain gardens enable you to fully utilize the rain that falls on your property through your landscape. If your yard causes the rainwater to run off, you are not reaping the benefits for your plants. When the rain water isn’t absorbed fully into your landscape, it’s quickly on its way to the City’s storm sewer system and you have hardly benefitted.
In fact, with so much concrete and roof tops in our neighborhoods and urban areas, coupled with our drought-stricken terrain, this is a recipe for flash flooding.
So how do you take advantage and implement rain gardens?
- Aesthetically pleasing plantings, shrubs, and trees help absorb every precious drop of precipitation.
- Creative grading can slow the runoff of water from hard surfaces and allow plants time to absorb water from roof tops, concrete, and excess lawn watering.
- Rain gardens can border your yard or can be incorporated throughout your landscape.
- Most of these rain-saving features have a slight indentation that is intentionally designed to collect water. This enables the water to penetrate the soil instead of running off.
- Plantings must be carefully selected because they must be able to resist extreme moisture.
- Rain gardens are sustainable.
The professionals at Alpine Gardens can help you design landscape solutions that are not only beautiful, but highly functional. Give us a call at 970-226-2296 for an individualized consultation and start planning your next landscape project.
