SCHEME 2: Nature-Inspired Associations Rain Garden Design Designing a rain garden is not as simple as selecting plants that tolerate moisture. Individual plant species tolerate different levels of water inundation. Each plant species is associated with a “wetland indicator status.” This status describes the suitability of plants to these differing levels. A rain garden may contain plants that fall within multiple indicator designations. See References for definitions of the indicator statuses.
This diagram was inspired by an image included in the 2011-2012 North Creek Nurseries catalog.
Water level after extreme rain events Water level after rain events
Water level between rain events
Zone 1 OBL/FACW
29
SUSTAINABLE GROUNDS DEVELOPMENT
Zone 3 FACU/UPL
Wetland Indicator Status
Ahron Lerman
Layers of the Woodland Garden Canopy Trees (Quercus spp., Carya spp., Fagus spp.) • Existing mature trees on campus are underplanted with vegetation that will support their health. Small Trees (Hamamelis virginiana, Cornus spp., Carpinus caroliniana, Ostrya virginiana, Ilex opaca, Cercis canadensis, Acer pensylvanicum, etc.) • Smaller, shade-tolerant trees lower the scale of the forest and offer finer details (bark patterns, intricate blooms, architectural branching). Large Shrubs (Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron carolinianum, Calycanthus floridus, etc.) • Shade-tolerant 3-12’ shrubs that contribute to higher species diversity, add horizontal dimension (multi-stemmed), and occasionally blend into the small tree layer. Evergreen shrubs add structure throughout the winter and provide cover for birds. Herbaceous (Polystichum acrostichoides, Viola spp., Tiarella spp., Heuchera spp., Osmunda spp., Anenome spp., Polygonatum commutatum, etc.) • Ferns, perennials, and groundcovers stitch together to form a living mulch that stabilizes soils and temperature extremes, and retains moisture. Ground • Leaf litter and plant debris from the layers above accumulate and decompose. Decaying material is recycled into the soil. Oak leaves from canopy trees on campus increase the acidity of soil, and form an organic mulch.
Zone 2 FAC
Herbaceous plants, such as the cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamonea) above, contribute to the many layers of the deciduous woodland. These layers add to the carpet of leaves and plant matter below.
KATE CHOLAKIS AND LAURA RISSOLO