Rain Garden Question

My backyard collects a lot of water when it rains. As an alternative to a drainage system, I was wondering if I could plant a rain garden to control the large amount of water that collects. The ground is very muddy after extensive rains, and there are always wet spots. I had to remove an above ground pool due to shifting because of water that collected under the pool. Is this possible to do in Westchester and also be "deer proof". Deer come through my backyard all of the time.

I'd appreciate any help you can offer.
Thank you,

Alan

Answer:
Dear Alan,

It is possible to have a rain garden just about anywhere that erosion and/or poor drainage is a problem. In addition to their utilitarian and ecological function, they can be a beautiful addition to your landscape. For tips on construction you can start by checking out these sites: http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/raingarden_design/construction.htm

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/runoff/rg/rgmanual.pdf

As far as deer are concerned, there are no plants that are completely "deer proof" - even plants that aren't completely eaten may be nibbled as a "taste-test". There are many lists of so-called deer-resistant plants and, in my experience, they often contradict each other. And sometimes it seems that different deer populations have different snacking preferences!

As far as deer-resistant native plantings for a rain garden/wet area the safest bet are grasses, sedges, ferns and horsetails (Equisetum spp.). Woody and herbaceous flowering plants that may prove successful include, but are not limited to: river birch (Betula nigra), shadbush (Amelanchier spp.), bald cypress (Taxodium distichum, pond cypress (Taxodium nutans), tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica), bayberry (Morella pennsylvanica), red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Leucothoe spp., summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), swamp rosemallow (Hibiscus moscheutos), cattail (Typha latifolia), skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), blue flag iris (Iris versicolor), wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), swamp milkeed (Asclepias incarnata), obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana) jack in the pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum, green dragon (Arisaema dracontium) and pitcher plants (Sarracenia spp.).

Good luck with your rain garden project!

Sincerely,

Darrin Duling
Director, The Native Plant Center