07.05.2024

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Q+A: How to build a rain garden in Portland

A newly finished rain garden shows young plants outside of a white home in Portland. .You can see a solid drainpipe that empties the downspout into the river rock French drain.

French drains typically carry rain to the garden, where plants that like their roots wet in winter and dry in summer thrive. | Photo via @revivegardenspdx

We can imagine your raised eyebrows — it’s summer, why would you want to even for one second think about rain?

Well, if building a rain garden in your yard is something that’s at the top of your to-do list, it’s much easier to do so when the water isn’t actually falling from the sky. By incorporating bioretention areas, you can reduce water intrusion to your house and runoff on your property, while attracting wildlife and filtering pollutants out of the environment.

For tips on such a big project, we turned to an expert: Misha Ashton of Revive Gardens PDX.

Misha Ashton, owner of Revive Gardens PDX, poses in her backyard with a Backyard Habitat Certification sign. — Ashton has a small-scale native plant nursery in her backyard that’s not open to the public, but offers online shopping and in-person pick up. It’s only open during the months of September through June to encourage people not to plant in the summer.
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Photo via @revivegardenspdx

Tell us about your business.

My main focus is helping clients turn their yards into a space that is both usable and easy to maintain, while meeting Backyard Habitat Certification. That often involves removing lawns, diverting downspouts, and planting as many native plants as possible.

I work with all levels of gardeners, from those who like to do everything themselves and just need a little guidance, to those who want the full design and install.

How do you plan a rain garden?

First, asses the location to ensure you have the room and that there aren’t any buried utilities where you’ll be digging (always call 811).

You do not need a permit in Portland to disconnect your downspouts, but you will need an adapter and solid drain pipe to carry water to the garden. The general rule is 10 ft away from a home with a basement and a minimum of 2 ft from one without.

The size of the rain garden is determined by the surface area of the roof that is feeding into the downspout. A quick example: If the roof’s surface area is 200 sqft, then your rain garden should be a minimum of 20 sqft (10% of the impervious surface area) and a minimum of 6 inches deep.

Alternating images show the before and after of a yard worked on by Revive Gardens PDX. — Adding a catchment system (think: rain barrels) can help repurpose rain for other parts of your yard during the dry season.
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Photos via @revivegardenspdx

What other factors come into play?

If you have poor draining soil, as many of us do (Portland has high levels of clay), the rain garden has a higher chance to fill up and overflow with heavy rain fall. You’ll want to ensure that the ground is graded away from the house and that the far end of the rain garden has an area lower than the point where water flows in.

You also want a shallow bowl shape, where the edges from the top to the base are gradual, not steep, to create more surface area for planting and limiting erosion.

Grab your shovel

Events

Friday, July 5

Red, White, & Rambouillet Event | Friday, July 5-Saturday, July 6 | 11 a.m.-5 p.m. | Dusky Goose Winery, 8355 NE Warren Rd., Dundee | $45-$60 | Indulge in wine and a loaded burger bar at the third edition of this feast.

Saturday, July 6

The Bird Days of Summer: Bird Hats & Tats! | Saturday, July 6 | 8:30-10:30 a.m. | Kelley Point Park, Portland | Free | Show off your avian ink and fowl finery as you explore this underrated spot for wildlife viewing; bring binoculars, water, snacks, and sun protection.

Sunday, July 7

Free First Sunday | Sunday, July 7 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, 724 NW Davis St., Portland | Free | Learn about the legacy of the Jewish experience in Oregon and the Holocaust on opening day of the center’s summer exhibitions.
Portland Timbers vs. Nashville SC | Sunday, July 7 | 7:30 p.m. | Providence Park, 1844 SW Morrison St., Portland | $20-$223 | Sing your support for the home team to help keep their red hot winning streak rolling on.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Outdoors

Take me to the river, drop me in the water. Portlanders looking to beat the heat by getting their paddles wet should float on over to our guide of kayak, SUP, and canoe spots. Don’t forget your life jacket.

Plan Ahead

Pioneer Quilts’ annual yard sale will return to Oak Grove’s historic Broetje House on Saturday, Aug. 17. Attendees can browse 36 vendors who offer deals on fabric, quilts, patterns, and more. Don’t forget to bring your craft scissors for sharpening.

Arts

A new mural in Old Town’s Ankeny Triangle celebrates Portland’s rich punk music history. The full-building wrap (33 SW Third Ave.) by tattoo artist and illustrator Notsik calls out local bands, with references to nearby record stores, clothing shops, and venues where the genre thrived in the 1970s and 1980s.

Closing

Say fore-well to SIM Golf. The business that opened during the pandemic, offering people the chance to work on their swing indoors, will close next week. Customers can enjoy 60% off all food, beverages, and merchandise through Wednesday, July 10.

The Buy

The Buy 7.05.24 (Affiliate)

Cornbread Hemp’s CBD Sleep Gummies, which help you fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and wake up refreshed (without grogginess). The organic ingredients include valerian, chamomile, and lavender. Get 30% off site wide when you spend $55 with code CBDSLEEP30.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Ben

From the editor

One of my favorite cool treats is a smoothie from Moberi. The local business has charming style, delicious acai bowls, and five locations in the Portland area. Check it out.

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