TheVermontRainGardenManual

GardeningtoAbsorbtheStorm

HelpingtoprotectandrestoreVermontsriversandlakes.

Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District

ThePurposeofthisManual
ThismanualisaVermontspecificresourcedevelopedfor homeowners, landscape architects, city planners, or any one else interested in protecting local rivers and lakes through gardening. Its contents are designed to clarify the installation process, demonstrate how rain gardens are costeffective stormwater management tools, and il lustrate how they can be incorporated into a variety of landscapes.

Contents
Thismanualisbrokenintosectionstoillustratethestep bystepprocessinbuildingaraingarden.Thesections include: ChoosingaLocation........ p.3 SizingaRainGarden... 4 DesigningaRainGarden.... 6 InstallingaRainGarden..... 7 Care&Maintenance........ 9 Thismanualalsoincludes: AnintroductiontoCurbCutRain Gardens........ 10 TheVermontRainGardenPlantList... 11 SampleRainGardenPlantingPlans.... 15 Anexplanationofhowraingardensrelate totheVermontStormwaterManagement Manual...... 18 VermontHardinessZoneMap. 20

Photographsofeachraingardenplantare arrangedalphabeticallythroughoutthemanual

Acer rubrum

Acorus americanus

Actaea rubra

Agalinis purpurea

Agastache foeniculum

Agrostis stolonifera

Alchemilla mollis

Allium cernuum

Alnus rugosa

Amelanchier arborea

Whatisaraingarden?

A rain garden is a bowlshaped garden designed to capture and absorb rainfall and snowmelt (collectivelyreferredtoasstormwater).Whenstormwaterrunsoffimpervioussurfacessuchas parking lots, roofs, compacted soils, and roads, it accumulates pollutants and delivers them to a nearbylakeorrivereitherdirectlyorviaastormdrain.Stormwaterpollutantstypicallyincludesedi ment;nutrients(nitrogenandphosphorus);bacteriafromanimalwaste;andoil,grease,andheavy metalsfromcars.Stormwateralsocausesincreasedflooding,whicherodesstreambanksresulting in additional problems. However, if captured by a rain garden, stormwater soaks into the ground recharges the groundwater at a rate 30% greater than that of a typical lawn. Ultimately, if we all worktogethertocreatelandscapefeaturesthatabsorbthestormwater,wecanrestoreandhelp preservethewaterwaysthatmakeVermontsobeautiful.

ChoosingaLocation
Ifcapturingroofrunoff,placethegardenabout10feetawayfromthe buildingtopreventpotentialwaterseepageintothebasement. Donotplacearaingardenoveraseptictankorleachfield. Donotplacearaingardennearadrinkingwaterwell. Call Dig Safeat 1888DIGSAFE at least three days before digging to avoidundergroundpipesandutilities. Checkforanyprivatewiringorundergroundutilitiessuchasdriveway lightsandshedswithelectricity. Selectaflatareaifpossibletomakeinstallationeasier. Donotplacetheraingardeninanaturallywetarea. Avoid disturbing tree roots. Trees may be injured by digging and may nottoleratetheadditionalsoilmoisture.

Buildnexttoahouse

Buildnexttoaroad
PhotocourtesyConnecticutNEMO

Buildnexttoaparkinglot

Amorpha canescens

Andropogon Andropogon gerardii virginicus

Anemone canadensis

Aquilegia canadensis

Aronia arbutifolia

Aronia melanocarpa

Arisaema triphyllum

Aruncus dioicus

Asarum canadensis

TheVermontRainGardenManual 3

Asclepias incarnata

Asclepias tuberosa

Asternovae angliae

Aster umbellatus

Astilbe spp.

Athyrium filixfemina

Baptisia australis

Betula nigra

Boltonia asteroides

Bouteloua curtipendula

SizingtheRainGarden(4Steps)
Step1:DrainageArea

Step2:Soil

Tocalculatethedrainagearea(theareathatwilldrainto the rain garden) from a roof, parking lot, sidewalk, or other impervious surface, multiply the length by the width. (Length)x(Width)=__________ft2(drainagearea)

Addtogetherthedrainagearea ofmultipleroofs.

Combineyourroofrunoff withaneighbors.

Rain gardens can capture stormwater from a drip line just as well as from a guttersystem.

Estimatingthestormwater that runs off streets, side walks,andparkinglotscan be tricky. It is best to visit theimperviousareaduring a rain event to clearly see the extent of the drainage area.

Courtesyof NorthDakotaStateUniversity

Todetermineifthesoiltypeissuitableforaraingarden, firstperformasimplepittest: 1. Diga6deepholeandfillwithwater. 2. Chooseanewlocationifthewaterisstillstanding after24hours. After conducting the pit test, identify the soil type as sand,silt,orclay.Sandysoilshavethefastestinfiltration; claysoilshavetheslowest.Sinceclaysoilstakelongerto drain water, they require a larger rain garden area. You can determine your soil type by performing the ribbon test: 1. Grab a handful of moist soil and roll it into a ball in yourhand. 2. Placetheballofsoilbetweenyourthumbandtheside of your forefinger and gently push the soil forward withyourthumb,squeezingitupwardstoformarib bonaboutthick. 3. Try to keep the ribbon uniform thickness and width. Repeat the motion to lengthen the ribbon until it breaksunderitsownweight.Measuretheribbonand evaluatebelow:
Theribbonformed heredepictsaclay soilbecauseitis greaterthan1.5 inlength.

SAND:Soildoesnotformaribbonatall. SILT:Aweakribbon<1.5isformedbeforebreaking. CLAY:Aribbon>1.5isformed.

Calamagrostis acutiflora

Caltha palustris

Camassia leichtlinii

Campanula americana

Carex flacca

Carex flaccosperma

Carex grayi

Carexmuskin gumensis

Carex vulpinoidea

Carpinus caroliniana

4 TheVermontRainGardenManual

Cassia hebecarpa

Caulophyllum Celtis Cephalanthus thalictroides occidentalis occidentalis

Chelone glabra

Cimicifuga ramosa

Cinna latifolia

Clethra alnifolia

Clintonia borealis

Comptonia peregrina

Step3:Slope

Calculatetheslopetodeterminetheraingardensdepth: 1. Place one stake at the uphill end of the rain garden and another at the downhill endasillustratedinFigure1. 2. Levelthestringbetweenthetwostakes. Table1 3. Measurethetotallengthofthestringandtheheightof Slope Depth thestringatthedownhillstakeininches. <4% 35in 4. Divide the height by the length and multiply the result 57% 67in by100.Thisistheslope. 812% 8in+ 5. UseTable1todeterminetherecommendedraingarden depth.
AdaptedfromRainGardens:AHowto ManualforHomeowners,UWEX

Benefitsofa RainGarden
Areeasyandinexpensiveto installandmaintain Reducestormwaterrunoff Rechargegroundwater Helpcontrolflashflooding Providewildlifehabitat Improvewaterquality Helptosustainstreambase flows Areanattractivealternative todetentionponds RemovePollutants Canberetrofitintoexisting urbanlandscapes

stringmustbelevel downhill stake length

uphill stake

height

Figure1:Determinetheslopeofthelandscape.

Step4:Size

Finally,determinetheraingardenssize: 1. UseTable2todeterminethesizefactor. 2. Multiplythesizefactorbythedrainagearea.Thisistherecommendedraingarden size. Table2 SoilType Sand 35in 0.19 Depth 67in 0.15 8in+ 0.08

Silt 0.34 0.25 0.16 Clay 0.43 0.32 0.20 ___________X_____________=_______________

SizeFactorDrainageAreaRainGardenArea

Note:Iftheraingardenis>30ftawayfromthedrainageareathentheareaoftherain gardencanbeahalfsizesmallerthancalculatedabove.Thisisbecausealargeamount ofstormwaterwillbeabsorbedalongthepathwaythatleadstotheraingarden.

Convallaria majalis

Coreopsis lanceolata

Cornus amamum

Cornus sericea

Deparia Desmodium acrostichoides canadense

Dicentra spectabilis

Diervilla lonicera

Dryopterafilix Echinacea masxmarginalis purpureaspp.

TheVermontRainGardenManual 5

Epilobium Erythronium angustifolium americanum

Eupatorium coelestinum

Eupatorium maculatum

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Euthamia graminifolia

Filipendula rubra

Fraxinus americana

Fraxinus Gaylussacia pennsylvanica baccata

DesigningtheRainGarden(4Steps)
Step1:DeterminetheShape
Your rain garden can be any shape but it MUST have a levelbed.

Step3:SelectPlants
Plantsmustbeabletotoleratetheextrememoisturecon ditionstypicalofaraingarden.Whenchoosingplantsitis important to remember that rain gardens are not wet lands.Raingardensmimicuplandforestsystems.Plants that consistently require wet soils or standing water are notappropriate.RefertoTheVermontRainGardenPlant Listbeginningonpage11ofthismanual. There are likely many more plants suitable for Vermont rain gardens than what is included in the plant list. To evaluate the suitability of each additional plant, use the followingcriteria:Asuitableraingardenplant1)isgreater then 6 in height when mature and does not have low basalleavestheseplantsmaystrugglewhenovercome by heavy flows; 2) can tolerate both wet and dry condi tions;and3)cansurviveinthelocalhardinesszone.Refer to the Plant Hardiness Zones in Vermont map included onthebackcover.

Step2:DesigntheEntrance
Stabilizetheareawherethewateren ters your rain garden with stone or gravel to slow stormwater flow and prevent erosion within the garden. Place hardy plants that thrive in moist conditions where the stormwater en tersthegarden. Some common methods for directing water from the drainageareatotheraingardeninclude: Gutter Extensions: Specifically shaped to attach to the end of your down spout. PVC & Plastic Corrugated Piping: Can be attached to gutter extensions and buried to carry stormwater under ground. Grasslined & Rocklined Swales: Can beusedtodirectwatertotheraingar den. Swales should be sloped at a 2:1 ratio (1 ft rise for every 2 ft across). Ideal for heavy flows from roads or parkinglots.

Step4:FinalRainGardenDesignSketch
Complete a toscale drawing of the rain garden before breakingground:

Gentiana andrewsii

Geranium maculatum

Hamamelis virginiana

Helenium autumnale

Helianthus Heliopsis Hemerocallis angustifolius helianthoides ssp.

Heuchera ChocolateRuffles

Hibiscus moscheutos

Hosta ssp.

6 TheVermontRainGardenManual

Hydrophyllum virginianum

Ilex glabra

Ilex verticillata

Iris versicolor

Isopyrum biternatum

Juncus effusus

Juniperus virginiana

Kalmia latfolia

Liatris spicata

Lilium canadense

InstallingtheRainGarden
Step1:DefinetheBorders
Delineatetheoutlineoftheraingardenonthegroundusingstringorspray paint.Thebermoredgingwillgooutsidethestring.

Step2:RemovetheGrass
Buildthebermwithsod

Toavoiddiggingthroughsod,killthegrassfirstbylayingblackplasticora tarponthelawnforseveralweeks.Usingaherbicideisnotrecommended Itcouldharmthenewlyinstalledplants.

Step3:StartDigging
Buildingonaslope:Iftheraingardenisbuiltonaslope,abermorlowwall onthedownhillsideisrequiredtoincreasethewaterholdingcapacityofthe garden. Create the berm while digging the rain garden by heaping the soil around the edges where the berm will be (see figure 2). The berm height shouldbelevelwiththeuphillsideofthegarden,thereforemakingtheen tireperimeterofthegardenthesameheight.Aftershapingtheberm,com pact the soil and cover with sod, mulch, or a groundcover. Use straw or othermattingtoprotectthebermfromerosionwhilethegrassorground covertakesroot. Buildingonlevelground:Iftheraingardenisbuiltonlevelground,theprofile of the garden can vary depending on available space and aesthetic prefer ence.Ifspacepermits,theraingardencanhavegentlyslopingsides(Figure 3). Note that soil conditions in the upper slope of this type of rain garden maybetoodryforatrueraingardenplanttosurvive,thereforeavarietyof uplandplantsmightbeappropriatehere.Ifthereisnotalotofspace,then the profile in figure 4 might be appropriate. Only plants that can tolerate verymoistsoilconditionsshouldbeplantedinthistypeofraingarden.This designiscommoninurbansettingswhereacurbcutisusedtodirectstorm waterintothegarden.Abermdoesnotneedtobeconstructedinaraingar den that is built on level ground because the stormwater is held in by the depressionthatisdug.Excavatedsoilthereforeshouldberemovedfromthe site. Landscaping stone, or other edging can be used to helphold water in thegardenaswellastopreventgrassfromgrowingintothebed.Tip:Think about where stormwater will go when the rain garden overflows during a verylargestorm.Designaslightdipintheberm/perimetertodirectpotential overflowawayfromtheneighborsyardorotherpriorityarea.

Bordersdefinedbyanearthenberm

Createabermwithlandscapingstone

Bordersdefinedbyedging

Lindera benzoin

Lobelia cardinalis

Lobelia spicata

Lysimachia ciliatessp.

Matteuccia struthiopteris

Mentha arvensis

Mertensia virginica

Mimulus ringens

Mitella diphylla

Mondarda didyma

TheVermontRainGardenManual 7

Nyssa sylcatica

Onoclea sensibilis

Osmunda Osmunda cinnamomea claytoniana

Osmunda regalis
AdaptedfromRainGardens:AHowtoManualforHomeowners,UWEX

Ostraya virginiana

Panicum virgatum

Parthenium integrifolium

Penstemon digitalis

Phlox divaricata

BeforeDigging
downhill stake string

uphill stake

removedirthere

AfterDigging
downhill stake string oldlawnsurface

uphill stake

Figure2:Whenbuildingaraingardenonaslope, abermmustbecreatedtoholdthewaterinthe garden.Whenlevelingthebed,usethedirtthat youremovetobuildtheberm.

add dirthere

berm

edging

oldlawnsurface

oldlawnsurface

edging

addedcompost upperslope addedcompost

Figure 3: Level bed with sloping edges. This design re quiresmorespace.Onlyplantsthatcanthriveindriersoil conditionscanbeplantedontheupperslopeofthistype ofraingarden;trueraingardenplantswillnotthrivehere.

Figure4:Levelbedwithoutslopingedges.Idealdesign fortightspaces.

Physocarpus Polemonium Poylgonatum Polystichum Pycnanthemum opulifolius reptans biflorum acrostichoides virginianum

Quercus bicolor

Quercus palustris

Quercus rubra

Ratibida pinnata

Rhexia virginica

8 TheVermontRainGardenManual

Rhododrendron Rhododrendron Rhododrendron canadense maximum periclymenoides

Rosa palustris

Rodgersia henrici

Rudbeckia hirta

Salix discolor

Salix humuilis

Salix purpurea

Salvia verticillata

Step4:LeveltheBed
Digtheraingardenbed46deeperthandeterminedearliertoallowfortheadditionof compostandmulch.Maintaintheraingardensabilitytoabsorbwaterbyavoidingsoil compaction. Work from one side to the other, or from the center to the outside. Loosensoilwithashovelifitbecomescompacted.Whenthewholeareahasbeendug outtotheapproximatedepth,laya2x4boardintheraingardenwiththecarpenters level sitting on it. Adjust to form a flat bottom. When the rain garden is completely level, rake the soil. Tip: Avoid digging and planting under wet conditions, especially whenworkinginclaysoilsDisturbingwetsoilscanresultincompaction.

Levelthebed

Step5:ImprovetheSoil
Atleasttwoinchesofcompostshouldbeaddedtotheraingardenandmixedintothe nativesoil.Thishelpsthesoilretainmoistureandimproveplantgrowth.Usingarotor tillertomixinthecompostwillmakethejobmucheasier.

Improvethesoil

Step6:Plant
Settheplantsoutinthegardentomatchtheplantingplan.Whenremovingtheplants forthepots,gentlyloosentherootballwithyourfingersbeforeplacingtheminthe ground.Waterimmediatelyafterplanting.

Step7:Mulch
Plant

Applya23layerofmulchtohelpretainsoilmoistureanddiscourageweeds.Acubic yardofmulchwillcovera100squarefootareawithaboutthreeinchesofmulch.

Care&Maintenance
Mulch

Water:Newplantsneedtobewateredregularlyuntiltheirrootsareestablished, eventhoughtheraingardencatchesstormwater. Weed:Frequentweedingwillbenecessaryinthefirstfewyearsbeforeplantsbe comeestablished. Mulch:Tomaintainthebowlshapedprofileandstormwaterholdingcapacityofthe raingarden,mulchingisnotsuggesteduntilafewyearsaftertheinitialinstallation. Oncetheraingardenisestablished,mulchisnotnecessary,unlessitsmoreformal appearanceispreferred.Whenapplyingmulch,maintaina23layer.

Water

Sambucus canadensis

Sanguinaria canadensis

Sanguisorba Schizachyrium tenuifolia scoparium

Soldago ssp.

Sorghastrum nutans

Spirea latifolia

Thelypteris Streptopus Thuja noveboracensis occidentalis roseus

TheVermontRainGardenManual 9

Tiarella cordifolia

Trillium undulatum

Tradescantia Vaccinium ohiensis corymbosum

Veratrum viride

Verbenia hastata

Vernonia Veronicastrum Virburnum noveboracensis virginicum cassinoides

Viburnum lentago

CurbCutRainGardens

CommonQuestions
Doesaraingardenformapond? No. After most storms a properly constructed raingardenwillabsorbwaterwithinaperiodof 24hoursandnotmorethan48hoursforlarger stormsdependingonthesoiltype.

Rain gardens designed with a curbcut can be effective in capturing stormwaterfromstreets,parkinglots,andotherpavedareas.Inaddi tion to reducing stormwater volume, curbcut rain gardens increase urbanaesthetics,reducepollutantconcentrations,andhelpcounter acturbanheat.Asamplecurbcutraingardenplantingplanisincluded onpage17ofthismanual.Belowaresomethingstoconsiderwhen designingacurbcutraingarden:

Plant Height: When planting in a streetscape, be sure to consider overhead conflicts (utility lines) and visibility issues, especially when plantinginamedian.

Domosquitoesbreedinraingardens? No.Mosquitoesrequire7to12daysofstanding water to lay and hatch eggs. Standing water willonlylastafewhoursaftermoststorms.

SaltTolerance:Plantsinacurbcutraingardenmustbeabletotoler ateroadsaltthataccumulatesinthesoilandonexposedtrunksand branchesinthewintermonths.Seetheenclosedplantlistforsalttol erantplants.

RightofWay: Anyone wishing to work within the rightofway must obtainpermissionfromthestateorlocalmunicipality.Apermitmay berequired. Pretreatment: To preventcloggingduetoexcesssedimentitisbest topretreatthestormwaterbeforeitentersthecurbcutraingarden ifstormwaterrunoffiscollectedfromaroadorparkinglot.Threerec ommendedoptionsforpretreatmentaregiveonpage18ofthisman ual.
PhotoscourtesyofBureauofEnvironmentalServices,PortlandOregon

Dotheyrequiremaintenance? Likeanygarden,diligentweedingandwatering willbeneededinthefirsttwoyears.Asthegar den matures, maintenance requirements will lessen. Plants may need to be thinned after a fewyears.

Howmuchdoesaraingardencost? The cost varies depending on who does the work,thesizeofthegarden,wheretheplants comefrom,andtheplantingdensity.Ifyoupur chase the plants and materials but you do all thelabor,thecostwillberoughly$4$6persq ft.Ifyouhireaprofessionaltodesignandinstall thegarden,itwillcostroughly$10$14persqft.

Shouldaraingardenbeplacedwherethereis typicallystandingwater? Rain gardens are designed to infiltrate water. Standing water indicates poor infiltration, and wedonotrecommenddirectingadditionalwa tertothesenaturallywetareas.

With green infrastructure, stormwater management is accomplished by letting the environment manage water naturally;capturingandretain ing rainfall, infiltrating runoff, and trapping and absorbing pollutants. Natural Re sourcesDefenseCouncil

Whatifthereisadryspell? Plants suitable for a rain garden can handle bothwetanddryconditions.However,duringa dryspell,itisbesttowatertheraingarden.

10 TheVermontRainGardenManual

PLANT LIST HOLDER PAGE

PLANT LIST HOLDER PAGE

PLANT LIST HOLDER PAGE

PLANT LIST HOLDER PAGE

SampleRainGardenPlantingPlans
A well thought out planting plan will in creasethesuccessrateofeachplantand will make installation easier. The place mentofeachplantshouldbebasedona plants moisture tolerance, height, and complimentary plant combinations. The followingplantingplansaredesignedfor a150squarefootraingarden.Eachplant ing plan includes light exposure, a plant ingschedule,plantphotos,aplantlayout diagram, and a sizing chart. The sizing chart can be used to plan for gardens greater or less than the 150 square foot template provided. Recommended plant installationsizesindicatedintheplanting schedules include 1 gallon, 2 gallon, and 4pots.Smallerplantscanbeinstalledif needed; however, increase the quantity ofeachplantandwaterandmonitorthe raingardenmorefrequently.

TheEnchantedGardenPartShade
Abr AD ADI CR EPM HC OR RH Qty 8 11 10 14 13 8 8 BotanicalName Aruncisdioicus Astilbe'Diamant' Cimicifugaramosa'Brunette' EchinaceapurpureaMagnus HeucheraChocolateRuffles OsmundaRegalis Rodgersiahenrici Sub.Rodgersiaaesculifolia CommonName Goatsbeard Astilbe PurpleleafBugbane Coneflower CoralBells RoyalFern Rodgersia Height 5 30 34 2.53 12 34 34 Spread 24 1.52 23 11.5 11.5 23 34 S.Interest Spring Summer Sp,Su,Fall Summer Summer Sp,Su,Fall Summer Spacing 2230 22 22 1522 1522 2230 3438 InstallSize 12Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 12Gallon

AD 5AD 8EPM 5CR 83 5OR

6EPM

ADI

CR

EPM

HC

OR

RH

SizingChart
SqFt Qtyof Diff.Species 3 5 7 7 7 Total PlantQty 24 48 72 96 120 Ex.Garden Dimensions 6x46 86x64 182x83 12x9 135x10

3AD 3RH 5CR

5RH

4ADI

50 100

6HC 4ADI 104

3OR 3ADI 710

7HC

150 200 250

TheVermontRainGardenManual 15

TheBird&ButterflyMeadowSun
Abr AT AN EP LCF PV VH Qty 7 6 14 11 16 10 BotanicalName Asclepiastuberosa Asternovaeangliae Echinaceapurpurea'Alba' LysimachiaciliateFirecracker Panicumvirgatum Verbenahastate CommonName ButterflyPlant NewEnglandAster Coneflower FringedLoosestrife SwitchGrass BlueVervain Height 12.5 18 30 13 34 26 Spread 11.5 1.52 12 22.5 23 11.5 S.Interest Summer Fall Summer Summer Sp,Su,Fall Su,Fall Spacing 1522 22 1522 2230 2230 1522 InstallSize 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 12Gallon 4Pot

10LCF 10PV 6PV 83 6VH 7EP 7AT 4VH 6AN 10LCF 8LCF 104 7EP 710
SqFt 50 100 150 200 250

AT

AN

EP

LCF

PV

VH

SizingChart
Qtyof Diff.Species 4 4 6 6 6 TotalPlant Qty 21 42 64 85 106 Ex.Garden Dimensions 6x46 86x64 182x83 12x9 135x10

TheBoldColorGardenSun
Abr CAK EP EM FR MD ST Qty 11 16 5 5 14 5 BotanicalName Calamagrostisacutiflora'KarlFoerster' Echinaceapurpurea'Alba' Eupatoriummaculatum Filipendularubra'Venusta' Monardadidyma'JacobCline' Sanguisorbatenuifolia CommonName FeatherReedGrass Coneflower JoePyeWeed QueenofthePrairie BeeBalm JapaneseBurnet Height 35 30 46 45 3 45 Spread 1.52 12 24 34 12 1.52 S.Interest Sp,Su,Fall Summer Summer Sp&Su Sp&Su Su&Fall Spacing 2230 1522 30 30 1522 22 InstallSize 12Gallon 1Gallon 12Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon

SizingChart
CAK EP EM FR MD ST
Sq Ft 50 Qtyof Diff.Species 3 5 7 7 7 Total Plant Qty 19 37 56 75 93 Ex.Garden Dimensions 5x10 168x6 215x7 25x8 20x126

3MD

5FR

5ST 5EM

5MD 5CAK 7

100 150 200 250

6CAK 12EP 6MD 215 16 TheVermontRainGardenManual 4EP

TheNativeWoodland&WildlifeGardenPartShade
Abr AA AC ACA AF CT CA LC Qty 7 7 13 11 12 4 7 BotanicalName Acorusamericanus Anemonecanadensis Aquilegiacanadensis Athyriumfilixfemina Caulophyllumthalictroides CornussericeaArcticFire Lobeliacardinalis CommonName SweetFlag Windflower Columbine LadyFern BlueCohosh RedOsierDogwood CardinalFlower Height 3 12 23 23 12 34 24 Spread 1.52 22.5 11.5 11.5 0.51 34 12 S.Interest Sp,Su,Fall Spring Spring Sp,Summer Summer Sp,Su,Fall Summer Spacing 22 2230 1522 22 22 45 22 InstallSize 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 23Gallon 1Gallon

7ACA 5AF 7LC 3AC

SqFt

AA 2CA

AC

ACA

AF

CT

CA

LC

SizingChart
Qtyof Diff.Species 3 5 7 7 7 TotalPlant Qty 20 41 61 82 103 Ex.Garden Dimensions 8Diameter 114Diameter 139Diameter 16Diameter 1710Diameter

2CA 6AF 6ACA 12CT 139

7AA 6AC

50 100 150 200 250

UrbanCurbCutRainGardenSun/PartShade
Abr CG CM JE NS Qty 14 24 27 1 BotanicalName Carexflacca CarexmuskingumensisOehme' Juncuseffusus Nyssasylvatica CommonName BlueSedge VariegatedPalmSedge CommonRush Tupelo,BlackGum Height 11.5 23 23 35 Spread 11.5 23 23 25 S.Interest Sp,Su,Fall Sp,Su,Fall Sp,Su,Fall Fall Spacing 18 18 18 InstallSize 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 22.5Caliper

CF

CM

JE

NS CF
Ex.Garden Dimensions 5x10 168x6 215x7 25x8 20x126

SizingChart
SqFt 50 100 150 200 250 Qtyof Diff.Species 2 2to3 4 4 4 TotalPlant Qty 19 37 56 75 93

215

TheVermontRainGardenManual 17

The Childrens Discovery Garden - Sun

Abr Qty AF AM AC AT AN BC HA 12 8 20 8 7 10 9 BotanicalName Agastachefoeniculum Alchemillamollis Alliumcernuum Asclepiastuberosa Asternovaeangliae Boutelouacurtipendula Heleniumautumnale'MoerheimBeauty' CommonName LavenderHyssop Lady'sMantle NoddingOnion ButterflyPlant NewEnglandAster SideoatsGramaGrass Sneezeweed Height 24 1830 13 12.5 18 1.52.5 34 Spread 1.52.5 1.52 36 11.5 1.52 1.52 23 S.Interest Summer Spring Spring Summer Fall Su,Fall Su.Fall Spacing 1824 1522 1 1522 22 22 2230 InstallSize 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 1Gallon 12Gallon 1Gallon

4AM 5AC 3HA 5BC 4AF 4AN 8AT 4AM 3HA 5AN 4BC
50 100

AF 4AF

AM

AC

AT

AN

BC

HA

3HA
SqFt

SizingChart
Qtyof Diff.Species 3 5 7 7 7 TotalPlant Qty 22 45 68 90 113 Ex.Garden Dimensions 8Diameter 114Diameter 139Diameter 16Diameter 1710Diameter

5BC 4AF 139

5AC

150 200 250

RainGardensandtheVermontStormwaterManagementManual

Property owners subject to a State Stormwater Permit can integrate rain gardens into their stormwater management planbyfollowingtheguidelineslistedintheVermontStormwaterManagementManual(VSMM).Propertyownersthat wouldrequirepermitsincluderesidentialandcommercialdevelopersdeveloping1acreormoreofimpervioussurfaces andmembersofahomeownersorcondominiumassociationinstormwaterimpairedwatershedsthatcurrentlyhaveno orfailingstormwatertreatmentsystems.IntheVSMM,raingardenisalaymenstermforabioretentionsystemthat treatswhatiscalledthewaterqualityvolume(0.9inchesofrain)ofastormeventoraround90%oftheannualrainfall. Rain gardens are designed to capture and temporarily store the water quality volume and infiltrate the stormwater throughasoilmatrixbeddesignedtofilteroutpollutants.Raingardensasdescribedinthismanualdifferfromthebio retentionsystemsintheVSMMbecausetheyarenotdesignedtoprovidechannelprotection(Cpv)orextendeddeten tion(Qp)storage. Ifstormwaterrunoffiscollectedfromaroadorparkinglot,itwilltypicallyneedtobepretreatedpriortoenteringarain garden.Topreventtheraingardenfrombeingcloggedbyexcesssediment,theVSMMrequiresthreeformsofpretreat mentincluding:1)agrassfilterstripbelowalevelspreaderoragrasschannelbeforewaterenterstheraingarden,2)a gravel diaphragm (similar to a curtain/french drain for evenflow of wateracross the rain garden), and 3) a mulch layer.Pretreatmentisnotrequiredforraingardenstreatingstormwaterrunofffromroofs. Rain gardens are encouraged in Section 3, Voluntary Stormwater Credits (VSC), of theVSMM (Volume I). VSCscan be acquiredwhenraingardensareinstalledwithinadevelopment.TheuseofVSC'scanreducetherequiredwaterquality andrechargevolumes,thereforereducingthesizeandcostofthestructuralstormwatertreatmentpractices.Suchare ductionwillhelptoreducetheoverallstormwatertreatmentcostsandspacerequirement.Specifically,raingardensare encouragedforrooftopdisconnects(Section3.2)andnonrooftopdisconnectssuchasdrivewaysandsidewalks(Section 3.3),andforEnvironmentallySensitiveRuralDevelopmentCredit(Section3.6).
18 TheVermontRainGardenManual

OntheWeb
Thismanualcanbeviewedanddownloadedforfreeat: www.vacd.org/winooski/winooski_raingarden.shtml (colorandblackandwhiteversionsavailable)

Written&DesignedBy:
WinooskiNaturalResources ConservationDistrict: JessicaAndreoletti

AdditionalResources
VisittheLakeChamplainSeaGrantwebsitetolearnmore aboutraingardens.Thewebsiteincludeseducationalma terialsthatareavailabletoviewandprintaswellasinfor mation about who, where, and when rain gardens were installedinVermont:www.uvm.edu/~seagrant Informationontreeselection,siteassessment,treeplant ing, and care of young trees is available on the Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Programs website: www.vtcommunityforestry.org For gardening information contact the University of Ver mont Master Gardeners by phone: 18006392230 or email:master.gardener@uvm.edu

TechnicalGuidance:
UVMExtension: EmmaMelvin

PlantList:
MasterGardeners: NancyHulett,MarijkeNiles,DonHipes, andKarlDoerner

Contributors
WinooskiNaturalResources ConservationDistrict: AnnaFarmer UVMExtension: KateForrer,BethanyHanna

References
Bannerman, R., E. Considine, and J. Horwatich, Rain Gar dens: A How To Manual for Homeowners, UWEX Publica tionsGWQ037.UniversityofWisconsinExtension,2003 Calarusse,C.,andC.Kloss,RooftopstoRivers:Greenstrate gies for controlling stormwater and combined sewer over flows,NaturalResourcesDefenseCouncil,2006 Gilbertson,M.,andL.Wilson,AddingRainGardenstoYour Landscape, Bulletin #2702, University of Maine Coopera tiveExtension,2007 Pellett, N. E., and M. C. Starrett, LandscapePlantsforVer mont,UniversityofVermont,2002 VermontAgencyofNaturalResources,VermontStormwa terManagementManual,VolumeIandVolumeII,2002

VermontAgencyofNaturalResources: KarenBates,DanielleFitzko,JimPease NordlandStudioLandscapeArchitecture: DeinaLuberts KathleenRyan,LandscapeArchitect FitzgeraldEnvironmental: EvanFitzgerald EcoSolutions: DaveWhitney

PlantPhotoCredits
Withpermission,theraingardenplantlistphotoswere primarilyprovidedbythefollowingorganizations: MissouriBotanicGardenPlantfinder: www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/Alpha.asp USDA, NRCS. The PLANTS Database, National Plant Data Center,BatonRouge,LA708744490USA,2007: http://plants.usda.gov

TheVermontRainGardenManual 19

PlantHardinessZonesinVermont
Averageannualminimumtemperatures

Funding
This work is sponsored in part by: Lake Champlain Sea Grant, NOAA National Sea Grant College Pro gram, US DoC. ~The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, US Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No.2045113003108~TheEnviron mental Protection Agency ~ Chit tendenbank~VermontAgencyof NaturalResources

The following local garden centers havedemonstratedacommitment to protecting our local waterways by providing funding support and committing to carry rain garden specificplantsandsupplies.

ElmoreRootsNursery
"IfitgrowsinElmoreitwillgrow whereyouare."

Zone 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b

Temperature 30o to 35o 25o to 30o 20o to 25o

15o to 20o 10o to 15o

Thismapisadapted fromtheU.S.Plant HardinessZoneMap

631SymondsMillRd Elmore,VT05680 8028883305 elemoreroots.com

Arcana 175SchillhammerRd Jericho,VT05465 8028995123 www.arcana.ws