Playing catch-up
It’s a certain kind of gardener’s dream: a low-maintenance, pretty plot to plant and simply enjoy. But a rain garden is more than that. Strategically located to catch roof or driveway runoff and keep it out of storm drains and waterways, a rain garden with native plants does cleanup and recycling, filtering the water and returning it to the soil. “Rain gardens collect rain or storm water runoff that can contain bacteria, chemicals, and pollution,” says Sara P. Grady, a regional coordinator for the Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program and watershed ecologist for the North and South Rivers Watershed Association in Norwell. “They help keep water on your property and recharge the ground-water supply.”
As far as maintenance goes, you don’t need to do much. In fact, it’s better to be hands off. “You don’t need to water these,” says Grady. “And with native plants, you don’t really need to prune either -- just let nature take its course.” Dig in to start your own.
Kate Grip Denon is a writer in Hopkinton. Send comments to designing@globe.com.
