Rain Gardens and Gutters: A Match Made for Environmental Stewardship
Do you know where the water from your gutter system ends up? Does it trickle down your driveway or side of your yard, or does it create a muddy, soggy mess and just collect in your lawn? Whatever the case, stormwater and meltwater inside a gutter system will deposit water from the downspout somewhere near or surrounding your home.
Think about all the water that flows from our gutter systems, especially living in Lynchburg where our annual precipitation is higher than the national average. We get around 42” of rain annually – think of all that rain flushing through the gutters and downspouts, only to be wasted. If you’re not already harvesting rainwater, you might want to start by making a rain garden.
Rain gardens and gutters are a match made for environmental stewardship. Keep reading to learn why and how you can make your rain garden!
The Relationship Between Rain Gardens & Gutters
How can rain gardens and gutters work together to produce such a lush and beautiful garden? If you didn’t already know, rain gardens are simply a lower area on either a residential or commercial landscape where water from rain gutters flows into a garden of perennials. It’s a great way to recycle rainwater while never having to worry about watering the garden yourself.
Rain gardens and gutter systems have a special relationship: the gutter system offers water to the plants and flowers in the rain garden while the rain garden offers many benefits for our environment.
Benefits of Rain Gardens & Gutters
Harvesting rainwater by making a rain garden offers homeowners and the environment several benefits. Below are just a few of the many benefits of rain gardens and gutters working together:
Recycles Rainwater
Water that flows from a gutter system often ends up in the residential or commercial street, making its way into a drain ditch or storm drain. While the water is collected and safely deposited, think of all the plants and garden beds that you could water for free without ever needing to twist on your spigot.
Making a rain garden and recycling water from a gutter system is easy! Once you’ve made your rain garden and everything is planted, contact a professional gutter installation company to extend your downspout or redirect them so that the water from the downspouts can easily flow toward your rain garden. Since rain gardens sit low, water will naturally flow toward it if it’s directed toward the rain garden.
Reduces Runoff
When water from a gutter system flows into a rain garden, it reduces runoff. This is especially beneficial to prevent flooding since the water will slowly seep into the ground in a rain garden versus landing in a storm drain, making its way into a stream or lake that can get flooded from excess runoff. Heavy rain is common here in Central Virginia, so having runoff go to a rain garden helps reduce flooding in our community.
Environmental Benefits
By making and implementing a rain garden, you’re helping protect our environment! When water is diverted to a rain garden, any contaminants or chemicals the water has come in contact with will remain inside the rain garden, reducing the amount of runoff in our sewers and storm drains.
The benefits? Less contaminated water in our local streams and rivers which harms aquatic life, for one. Next, rain gardens allow rainwater and meltwater to evaporate, leaving the contaminants and pollutants to drain into the soil rather than settling into our streams and rivers.
Feeds Wildlife
We have plenty of wildlife here in Central Virginia. Spring and summer are great for birdwatching, with songbirds like robins, orioles, finches, and even sweet hummingbirds in our backyards. Stunning butterflies and moths also love to feed on our garden beds during the warmer months. Making a rain garden adds more plants and flowers for our birds, butterflies, moths, bees, and other wildlife to feed on.
How a Durable, Quality Gutter System Helps Rain Gardens
Rain gardens couldn’t survive if they didn’t get drainage from a gutter system. The water from a gutter system sustains the plants and flowers. A properly working, durable, quality gutter system is needed to reap all the benefits of rain gardens.
When a gutter system isn’t functioning properly, water from the roof may not flow into the gutters or the downspout. Clogged gutters can block and impede water flow, forcing the water to flow over the sides, never making its way toward the downspout and near your rain garden. Likewise, damaged gutter systems might not be draining water properly or functioning well to collect and drain water.
A durable, quality gutter system is needed to reap the benefits of a rain garden. Without one, your rain garden won’t survive for long, forcing the plants to rely on rainwater alone, not the water that collects inside your gutters. Rain gardens need water from a properly functioning gutter system to survive and bloom.
Installing a durable, quality gutter system from Home Evolutions VA will enhance your rain garden. We install high-quality seamless gutters that can withstand severe weather and handle large amounts of stormwater and meltwater.
If your home needs gutters installed or you need to replace your existing gutters, consider installing seamless gutters and guards from Home Evolutions VA. Our seamless gutters prevent clogs from forming and pair perfectly with our Xtreme Mesh Gutter Guard, blocking debris from entering the gutter system. We also proudly install the K-Guard System, a complete system with oversized gutters, downspouts, and a curved hood, keeping debris out and water moving through the gutter system.
Home Evolutions VAhas been installing and repairing gutter systems for decades with thousands of happy customers in Lynchburg and surrounding areas. We can help with all your home improvement needs, whether you need help with an insurance claim or a quote for installing a new roof or gutter system. We’re here to help every step of the way throughout the entire process. Contact us today for a free estimate!
