Transforming a poorly drained area into a rain garden | DIY Garden Projects | Gardening Australia

Clarence tackles a difficult, seasonally wet spot in the garden by transforming the area into a beautiful and functional rain garden. Subscribe 🔔 http://ab.co/GA-subscribe
Rain gardens are a way to deal with poorly drained or permanently boggy areas, or those that are periodically wet. They allow water to collect and slowly seep into the subsoil, with plants filtering nutrients and sediment in a process known as biofiltration. Clarence is creating a naturalistic style rain garden, that mimics a seasonal creek. “It’s a natural, low-cost solution to consider for drainage with the added benefit of bringing in a slice of the Australian bush into your yard.”

Before you put your shovel in anywhere, access the DIAL BEFORE YOU DIG service to locate any services.

- The first step is to direct the water flow and create a well, by excavating the top 200mm of soil.
- The area is then lined with geotextile fabric, also known as drain mat, and covered with about 20mm of sand.
- Clarence also adds some lengths of agricultural pipe to direct excess water through the garden, and to the stormwater drain. This is placed into a trench lined with 20mm blue metal gravel.
- The surface is then covered with river rocks and larger sandstone borders, ready for planting.

Plants perform multiple purposes in a rain garden, removing nutrients from water, providing habitat to frogs and other insects, and looking beautiful. Clarence has selected a range of native species that are adapted to periodically wet conditions.

- Each is planted into a pocket of about 10L of potting mix and watered well. While they will be able to rely on natural rainfall once established, they should be watered 1-2 times a week over the first summer.

Featured Plants:
SWAMP LILY - Crinum asiaticum var.pedunculatum
KNOBBY CLUB-RUSH - Ficinia nodosa
KIDNEY WEED - Dichondra repens
SANDPAPER FIG - Ficus coronata

Filmed on Dharawal Country | Wollongong, NSW
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