Stormwater Management at the Jerome ‘Buddie’ Ford Native Garden

Terracing the Slope

Cutting flat, stepped levels into the hill slows the downhill flow of water and gives it more time to soak into the ground on each level of the flat terrace.

Creating Dry Wells

Digging a hole under downspouts to act as a drainage pot can capture rain rushing out of the downspout to allow it to seep slowly into the ground instead of creating a rushing river through the garden. Large rocks normally fill the dry well to prevent erosion.

At Buddie Ford, we reinforced our downspout dry well by lining the hole with a large plastic planter with drilled holes that we then filled with rocks. We added a whimsical stone statue named Buddie the Frog as the garden’s mascot.

Planting Native Plants  

Native plants have extensive, deep roots, which help hold the soil to prevent erosion when heavy rainfalls come rushing down the slope. Native plants root systems also help draw up extra moisture. Buddie Ford has a variety of native plants. Some grow very tall with lovely blooms and like the sun, including: Symphyotrichum novae-angliae (New England Aster), Monarda didyma (Scarlet Bee Balm), Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) and Heliopsis helianthoides ([Smooth] Oxeye) and Vernonia noveboracensis (New York ironweed).

Buddie Ford also has shorter, shade-tolerant plants like Pycnanthemum virginianum (Virginia Mountain Mint), Sisyrinchium angustifolium (Blue-eyed Grass), Salvia lyrata (Lyre-leaf Sage) and Fragaria virginiana (Wild Strawberry). When searching for the right native plants for your site, consult our website for tips on finding the right plant for the right place (wet/dry/sunny/shady).

Planting Site-appropriate Native Trees and Shrubs.

Native trees and shrubs tend to have extensive root systems that can take up more water to help reduce runoff. The Buddie Ford Demonstration Garden includes Amenlanchier canadensis (Canadian Serviceberry), Malus coronaria (American Crabapple), Cercis canadensis (Eastern Redbud), Rhus glabra (Smooth Sumac), and Magnolia virginiana (Sweetbay Magnolia). Many similarly useful larger native shrubs include Hamamelis virginiana (Witch Hazel), Sambucus canadensis (American Elderberry), Lindera benzoin (Northern Spicebush), Itea virginica (Virginia Sweetspire), Vaccinium angustifolium (Late Lowbush Blueberry), Cephalanthus occidentalis (Buttonbush), and Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea).

Cercis canadensis (Eastern redbud) to left of the stairs and Sambucus canadensis (American elderberry) and Malus coronaria (American crabapple) to the right of the stairs are some of the native trees and shrubs used on the sloped garden.

Covering Soil Surface with Mulch

Use of organic mulch, such as shredded bark, protects the surface soil from getting washed away in heavy rainfall, and has many other benefits.  Use of wood or leaf mulch adds organic matter to the soil as it breaks down, insulates the soil during cold spells, and prevents the soil from drying out quickly in dry spells. Edging along the garden borders can help keep the mulch from washing away in intense runoff periods.

Redirecting Water Flow

Directing water flow away from the foundation of the building will prevent leakage into the building itself.  Use of downspouts and gutters toward a permeable area, like a dry creek bed of stones, or a planting bed of water-loving plants (i.e., a rain garden), can redirect the water in an eco-friendly way.

Installing Edging and Raised Bed Walls

Installing barriers can slow the downhill flow of water. At Buddie Ford, we use keystone bricks, logs, and lumber to establish durable garden spaces that help slow the water flow.

Using Permeable Surfaces

Using permeable surfaces, such as the pea gravel, for garden walkways or other common areas, allows greater opportunity for the water to seep into the ground and not run off a hard surface, like pavement.