Raingardens continued from page 9 environment and may not need supplemental water or fertilizer once established. Native plants can also provide excellent sources of food and habitat for wildlife and are attractive to pollinators. A well-designed planting plan featuring native shrubs, grasses and perennials will offer a succession of blooms and seasonal interest throughout the year. Typical rain garden construction involves marking out the location you have chosen, excavating the soil, to c. building up lthe sides, and en ub i Ope p installing the plants you have th chosen for the garden. While to ic. en urain simple, smallto l c.gardens p bi can beOpenpubl a great do-it-yourself O he p project,tmore complicated he designs tmay require the help of a professional designer and landscape contractor. Raingardens (like any garden) will require a reasonable amount of maintenance and care. Homeowners will need to routinely weed the garden, trim the plants, remove plant debris and replenish the mulch. If the garden is designed to drain adequately, the rainwater will be absorbed into the soil within a day or two. Therefore mosquitoes shouldn’t be a problem in general. Gayle Shelden, ASLA is a landscape architect and principal of Green Gate Studio, LLC in Warrenton, VA. She has a Masters Degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia with over 16 years experience. She specializes in thoughtful, innovative and responsible design solutions for both large and intimate-scale projects. There are many excellent resources on the internet for designing and building your own raingarden, including the following: • Rain Gardens Technical Guide: A Landscape Tool to Improve Water Quality, published by the Virginia Department of Forestry and located at www.dof.virginia.gov. Rain Garden Design and Construction: A Northern Virginia Homeowners Guide found at http://www. fairfaxcounty.gov/nvswcd/raingardenbk.pdf An excellent overview of the design and construction of raingardens can be found at http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/ raingarden_design/ http://www.raingardennetwork.com/ • • • Some wonderful native rain garden plants: • • • • New England Aster Symphotrichum novae-angliae Blue flag Iris Iris versicolor Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Rough-stemmed goldenrod Solidago rugosa Donate! Volunteer! Shop! Donate! Volunteer! Shop! Donate! patio? Finally cleaning out the garage? Renovating? Building a Volunteer! Shop! Renovating? Building a patio?unwanted householdthe garage? extra building supplies and Finally cleaning out items. Renovating? Don't throw out your old cleaning out the garage? Building a patio? Finally appliances, Don't throw out your old appliances, extra building supplies and unwanted household items. The Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore extra building supplies and unwanted household items. accepts donations of: used appliances, furniture, tools, The Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore home improvement supplies, unwanted household items and more! The Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore accepts donations of: used appliances, furniture, tools, We'll even come to you to appliances, furniture, tools, pick up your donations! homeaccepts donations of: used improvement supplies, unwanted household items and more! home improvementcome to you to pick household items and more! We'll even supplies, unwanted up your donations! We'll even come to you to pick up your donations! Don't throw out your old appliances, Warrenton Towne Centre 617 Frost Avenue, Warrenton, VACentre to Food Lion) Warrenton Towne (next Warrenton Towne Centre Store Hours: Tuesday—Friday VA (next to Food9-2 617 Frost Avenue, Warrenton, 10-6, Saturday Lion) 617 Frost Avenue, Warrenton, VA (next to Food9-2 Store Hours: Tuesday—Fridaycontact us To schedule a pick up or 10-6, Saturday Lion) Store Hours: schedule a pick up or 10-6, Saturday 9-2 540-216-3447 • restore@fauquierhabitat.org To Tuesday—Friday contact us www.fauquierhabitatrestore.com us To schedule a pick up or contact 540-216-3447 • restore@fauquierhabitat.org 10 Piedmont Family Magazine 2013 • Issue 4 540-216-3447 • from the Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore www.fauquierhabitatrestore.com Donations are tax deductible. All proceedsrestore@fauquierhabitat.org go to support the construction of safe and affordable homes for Fauquier area families in need. www.fauquierhabitatrestore.com Donations are tax deductible. All proceeds from the Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore go to support the construction of safe and affordable homes for Fauquier area families in need. Donations are tax deductible. All proceeds from the Fauquier Habitat for Humanity ReStore go to support the construction of safe and affordable homes for Fauquier area families in need. Donate! Volunteer! Shop!