By Hannah Madrone
A Wealth of Water
They say “April showers bring May flowers,” and the Pacific Northwest is famous for its wealth of water.
Even though we might not always love our gray days and unpredictable weather, we also have a lot to be thankful for. We rarely have to worry about draining aquifers, and even our worst droughts leave us with abundant water compared to many places in the US and around the world.
Maybe it’s because I was born and raised here in western Washington, maybe I have rainwater in my blood, but I love our abundant April showers.
Too Much of a Good Thing?
Of course, our gift of rain water can become a burden when it ends up in the wrong place at the wrong time. How many of us Seattle area gardeners have that one stubborn low spot in the yard that refuses to drain? I know I sometimes get impatient waiting for my vegetable beds to dry out enough to work in the spring. Boggy conditions in the winter combined with drought in the summer can wreak havoc on lawns and landscaping.
On a regional scale, we struggle with flooding and water pollution. Excessive erosion from flooding and toxic runoff can cause serious ecological damage, impacting everything from dragonfly larvae in our streams to orcas in the Puget Sound.
Make the Most of April Showers
So how can we make the most of our April showers while ensuring that they don’t cause problems for our gardens or our larger ecosystems? Read on for five ways, big and small, to celebrate the rain!
1. Plant for wet soils
photo by Tanaka Juuyoh – Flickr
While it might seem like most plant tags call for “well-drained soil,” there are actually many perennials, shrubs, and trees that thrive with wet feet. You just have to practice some flexibility and know where to look. For example, many Iris species can thrive in areas that are inundated in the winter and dry in the summer, and red twig dogwood is a classic native wetland shrub that is also quite beautiful.
Finding the right plants for the right place in wet areas will solve the problem of bare, unsightly mud puddles. At the same time, you’ll be providing a great ecological service by soaking up and slowing down rainwater as it flows through your yard. Take a look at Sky Nursery’s Plants for Wet Soil info sheet and come talk to us for more ideas about plants for wet soil.
2. Build a rain garden
If you’re ready for a big project and you want to take your water wisdom to a new level, consider building a rain garden. Rain gardens are essentially small, human-made wetlands. They can be quite beautiful, and they’re also functional works of ecological engineering. When done right, they can go a long way towards protecting our local streams and marine ecosystems.
Building a rain garden involves doing a fair amount of research and planning, then excavating an area of your yard, bringing in special rain garden soil, and using carefully selected plants that will love the unique rain garden environment.
We can help you get started here at Sky, and there are many other sources of detailed information out there. Some cities, including Shoreline and Seattle, even offer rebate programs and other resources to homeowners who are interested in building rain gardens.
Need some initial inspiration? Come see our beautiful rain garden display during the month of April, and check out our Rain Gardens and Conservation Landscaping info sheet.
3. Install rain barrels or a cistern
Rain barrels and cisterns are great ways to collect rainwater from a roof or other impermeable surface so that it can be used during drier days. A lot of the problems our April showers cause have to do with the fact that they come all at once. We have too much water in the winter and spring, and then not enough in the summer. Rain barrels and cisterns let us smooth out that distribution.
By collecting the rainwater that flows off of your roof, you’ll be protecting our waterways while providing yourself with a source of free irrigation water. Even a single rain barrel will help capture and store some water, but a series of rain barrels or a larger cistern are recommended for the volume of water we usually need to handle in this region.
We carry a selection of rain barrels here at Sky, and we can help you think through what you need to start collecting rainwater. For a wealth of additional information, including rebate programs for Seattle residents, check out King County’s website on the subject.
4. Mulch to protect your living soil
The word “mulch” gets thrown around a lot, but many people still aren’t sure what it means. It can be a bit confusing because the term isn’t always used consistently, but the concept is really quite simple: mulch is any material you put on top of the soil to protect it.
Here at Sky, we usually recommend mulching garden areas with organic materials like bark or compost. These mulches protect soils from compaction and erosion due to heavy rainfall, improve the ability of water to filter into the soil, and slow down evaporation to keep soils evenly moist. Compost has the additional benefit of adding nutrients that your plants can use. Plus, these mulches look beautiful.
Sky Nursery has a large selection of mulch and soil amendment options available in bulk for pickup or delivery, as well as many bagged options. Our material calculator can help you determine how much you need.
5. Embrace natural wildlife habitat
While it is often possible to modify our landscapes to suit our needs, we also have the option to modify our visions to suit our landscapes. Wet, shady, or otherwise “difficult” areas often turn out to be wonderful wildlife habitat. If you’re the kind of gardener who likes to welcome birds, pollinators, frogs, and other wildlife, you might have a lot to gain by embracing those stubbornly damp areas of your yard.
All of these animals need water to drink, and many of them also use it to wash, play, and live in. You can enhance the habitat value damp areas naturally provide, by planting water-loving native plants, adding bird baths and feeders, and letting these areas grow a little on the wild side.
We can help you get started. Sky Nursery carries a huge selection of wildlife-friendly plants, bee boxes, bird feeders, and other supplies to help you turn that troublesome muddy spot into a vibrant wildlife oasis.
April Showers Bring May Flowers
While our Northwest weather may not always follow such a predictable pattern, it’s true that we need plenty of water to support beautiful gardens. Next time you find yourself stuck inside due to spring rain – or hail, or thunderstorms – remember that it’s all part of the balance. By working with our abundance of water, we can make the most of April showers.
The post 5 Ways to Make the Most of April Showers appeared first on Sky Nursery.