Rain Gardening in the South: Ecologically Designed Gardens for Drought, Deluge & Everything in Between

Rain Gardening in the South by [Helen  Kraus, Anne Spafford]

The first book for the consumer/home gardener on this important new environmental movement, Rain Gardening in the South is a readable how-to guide on creating beautiful gardens that capture, filter, and use water that runs off roofs, driveways, and other hardscapes. Written by NCSU horticulturalists Helen Kraus and Anne Spafford, Rain Gardening in the South helps gardeners wisely use our most precious resource—water. Rain gardens maximize rainwater, enhance the landscape, and promote good environmental stewardship.

Runoff contributes significantly to polluting our waterways. The rain garden, which functions as a miniature reservoir and filtration system, offers an effective, visually pleasing solution that dramatically reduces toxic runoff, resulting in cleaner rivers, lakes, and oceans.

The authors define the rain garden as “a garden slightly sunken below grade designed to capture rainfall, store that water to nurture the garden plants, and cleanse runoff, thus removing pollution.”

Ironically, rain gardens are more drought-tolerant than conventional gardens. Because of their plant selection and ability to store water, rain gardens flourish during dry spells, as well as rainy seasons, making them particularly conducive to the South.

“Water-wise gardeners are conscious of both the need to limit their water use and the need to minimize runoff, thereby dramatically reducing water pollution,” write Kraus and Spafford. “Not only are rain gardens extremely effective in addressing water and pollution issues, they are gorgeous.”

Rain Gardening in the South addresses the specific environmental circumstances of southern gardens, such as climate issues, plant selection, and soil types. It includes step-by-step instruction on constructing a garden, from the design stage to post-planting maintenance.

Rain Gardening in the South has won numerous awards, including the Gold and Silver awards from the Garden Writers Association, the Silver award from the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards and Honorable Mention from the Hoffer Awards.

Reviews

“With on-going urban growth and regional climate changes, Rain Gardening in the South provides timely lessons and much-needed factual information, reminding us along the way that we are better stewards of the environment with water-wise gardening.” –Bobby J. Ward, author of The Plant Hunters Garden

“Homeowners and landscapers have needed a concise guide into the uncharted waters of rain gardeningin the South… This book is filled with easy-to-understand principles we can apply to any landscape.” –Pam Beck, columnist, Raleigh News & Observer and author of Best Garden Plants for North Carolina

“…a great addition to the home library. it’s informative, but also presents rain gardens in a way that gets you excited to build one. That’s a victory for any author.” –Revolutionary Gardens

“Homeowners and landscapers have needed a concise guide into the uncharted waters of rain gardening in the South… This book is filled with easy-to-understand principles we can apply to any landscape.” –Pam Beck, columnist, Raleigh News & Observer and author of Best Garden Plants for North Carolina

“…a great addition to the home library. it’s informative, but also presents rain gardens in a way that gets you excited to build one. That’s a victory for any author.” –Revolutionary Gardens

Publisher information

Eno Publishers
Illustrated, four-color, soft-cover
143 pages
ISBN: 978-0982077108

Order your copy today!


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