the rainy day garden (show garden)
The UK has a problem with rain.
With the effects of climate change, we are getting too much in winter, and periods of drought in summer. Our outdated infrastructure means that pressure is put on our water systems in both of these times of year: In wet periods, as our surface water drains into the same system as our sewage waste, our sewers overflow and sewage waste is let into the sea. This is exacerbated by hard landscaping replacing permeable surfaces, reducing the area into which excess water can be absorbed, causing flooding.
In summer, during periods of extreme heat a typical garden requires lots of additional mains water to keep it alive, causing shortages.
I wanted to create a garden to show how these problems can be tackled in a typical urban garden, without compromising on beauty and without costing a fortune. I want to inspire people to implement these solutions in their own garden - we can all do our bit to counter the negative effects of climate change on our rainwater management. I also want to show that gardens can be enjoyed, even on a rainy day.
rainwater management
Water butt to collect gutter water - with the double benefit of diverting it from going into the sewer system, and storing it for use thereby reducing need for mains water in drier periods.
Permeable paving in the form of reclaimed concrete grass pavers, filled in with moss in the pathways, and decorative stones in seating areas. This allows water to soak through to the ground below, rather than running off into either surface water drains, or into other parts of the garden which may then become water-logged or flooded.
Rain garden, to manage any overflow from the water butt in periods of very heavy rainfall.
beauty of rain
Man-made puddle dips - collecting rainwater for children to splash in when in rains.
A rain curtain water feature, from the canopy gutter into the water butt - providing an attractive feature and reason to look into the garden when it’s raining.
Reflective still water feature with overflow into the rain garden. This will show the beauty of water both in dry spells, and also rainy days with the mesmerising pattern of raindrops splashing into water.
A covered seating area, providing shelter to enable the garden to be enjoyed even during wet weather.
planting
Lush planting that thrives in wet conditions, but can also withstand higher temperatures. Planting beds celebrate UK-hardy rainforest plants from around the world, which whilst not all native to the UK are well placed to tolerate the extremes of the UK’s changing climate.