PREFACE
Our Changing World
The Transformation
The Commitment
Taking the Plunge

1. How To Use This Book
How To Use This Book, explains to the reader how each chapter will progress through the complete process needed to have a rain garden in their yard.

2. Why Install a Rain Garden
Chapter two, Why Install a rain garden, gives the reader a brief overview of the horticultural, environmental and economic benefits they will enjoy by using a garden to retain and use rain water for their landscape irrigation needs. It also describes several other methods of collecting rainwater and their pros and cons.

3. What is a Rain Garden?
Chapter three, What is a rain garden?, provides a simple but clear definition of what this garden is and how it functions. A line drawing that shows the relationship between the garden, the structures it drains and the areas it benefits gives a visual example. Based on the authors past conversations with other gardeners about this type of garden, the last section also clears up any confusions that might exist when comparing this system to those of a water garden or a retention pond.

4. Location, Location, Location
Chapter four, Location, begins the design process by helping the reader determine where to place the garden in his or her landscape. It also covers elevation considerations as well as foundation protection and important information about protecting the tree roots in the areas closest to the gardens future sight. A list of common tree species and their sensitivity to root damage is provided for the readers reference. The section on underground utilities includes the universal utility color-coding legend and emphasizes the importance of this safeguarding step in the overall process.

5. Size, Shape, Depth
Chapter five, Size, shape and depth, enables the reader to decide how much of an impact he wishes to make with his rain-collecting garden. He learns to calculate the quantities his impervious surfaces generate as well as the capacity the garden will need to have to accommodate that particular volume of water. The section on shape brings the artistic element into the equation for the first time. Identifying and understanding soil types in relation to depth helps assure that mosquitoes won’t become an unwanted inhabitant because of standing water.

6. Design Work Sheets
Chapter six provides the reader with graph paper so that he can design his garden to scale. These perforated sheets can be removed later when the actual installation process begins and used as a map for plant locations. There is also a sample of a typical rain garden design. This gives examples of converting square feet into graph squares, creating symbols to identify plants and their spacing and is especially helpful to those who have never worked with architectural landscape drawings before.

7. Plant Selection
Chapter seven, Plant selection, begins by helping the reader understand the importance of choosing plant materials suitable for his particular climate, light and soil conditions. It is broken into five main sections, those being grasses, groundcovers, perennials, ferns and shrubs. The reader then begins the joyful process of adding color and texture to his garden. Plant descriptions as well as growth habits and special cultivars are noted. Color pictures of plants and/or line drawings can be added for reference depending upon the budget allowed for producing this book.

8. Tools, Materials and Suppliers
Chapter eight, the Tools, Materials and Suppliers section is especially useful for those just beginning to explore the world of gardening as well as anyone not familiar with purchasing construction materials. From choosing the right wheelbarrow to scheduling sand and compost deliveries, this chapter helps take the uncertainty out of the purchasing process. Several ways to locate plant suppliers is explained including contact information from four excellent mail order nurseries. The reader feels confident in his ability to acquire all that he needs.

 9. Getting Your Rain Garden Approved in a ‘Planned Community’
Chapter nine, Raingarden approval; With over 286,000 planned communities affecting more than 23.1 million housing units in the US, Chapter nine helps individuals with homeowners or community associations navigate the legal and politically charged process of acquiring permission to install a rain garden at their personal residence. It offers suggestions on tailoring the garden to better fit the ideal vision of their community as well as providing suggestions on smoothly moving through the Architectural Review process.

10. Installing Your Rain Garden
Chapter ten, Installation: At last the day arrives and in Chapter ten, the installation chapter, I talk the reader through the entire process of physically creating their garden. Included are antidotes from years of field experience. These provide answers to questions that have inevitably come up during actual installations for and with other clients. New gardeners always seem to have plenty of enthusiasm and energy. What they lack is the practical field experience provided by years of gardening that moves their project smoothly along without major problems. The actual section on planting is a crash course on handling plants and clears up many false beliefs that have kept people from attempting a gardening project.

11. Settling In and What to Expect
Chapter eleven provides practical information on how the garden and its plant materials will perform while becoming established. It is a proactive approach based on understanding the settling-in phase of a garden. It does what too many gardening books don’t but should do, teaches the reader to make timely observations and prevent problems from getting started. As I point out to my readers, the time to start checking your new plants isn’t when you notice them turning brown. Establishment problems show up long before the brown point. At the brown point you no longer have a problem, you just have a dead plant. A line drawing of a plant ‘head stone’ stating ‘Compost in Peace’ get the point across with a smile.

12. Ongoing Care
Chapter twelve, Ongoing Care: The Ongoing Care chapter (chapter twelve) is another area not usually touched upon by garden books. It reminds the reader that nothing remains static in a garden. Mother Nature has a funny way of making sure there is no bare earth. She’ll cover it with weeds if man doesn’t cover it with his choice of ‘flowering ornamentals’. Realistically, no one has a 100% survival rate for new plantings. This little gem of wisdom helps ease the ‘what did I do wrong’ moment that eventually comes into each gardeners thoughts because some plants, regardless of careful research on suitability, just don’t like where they’re put. They up and die on us and we find ourselves searching for a more forgiving plant to fill the empty space. We also learn that there is a happy dilemma where a plant thrives, multiplies and fill its space as well as that of his ‘neighbor’. Instructions on digging and dividing, weeding, and replacements as well as many other maintenance techniques assure the creation of a green thumb. Like raising a first child, it’s always reassuring to know that someone has been there before and this is a normal part of the whole adventure. The reader will find that the information in this chapter can be applied to other areas of his landscape as well.