Could you give a little more information? How much sun at what time of day? Type of soil?

Alocacia macrorhizzo

is it possible to drown an impatien? If not I would try that.

Sounds like a good place to put a rain bucket to me, LOL.

In wonder if Japanese forest grass could handle the downpour? I think the heavy runoff would tatter most plants. Can you install a deep gutter or deeper gutter to stop the flow? It can't be good for your house either.

Thanks! The area gets full sun and has ammended red clay soil. I have a gutter guard right there which really helps, but with heavy rains like we had last week in Durham I still get enough runoff there that it knocks over weak plants. It eventually drains because there's a slight downward slope, but whatever sits there is still going to get a lot of water and some force.

How about lorapetalum chinensis? You may want to look into a dwarf variety although the regular ones can easily be cut back if they encroach. I've found that they'll take a LOT of water and they are sturdy enough to withstand some force from the water.

Thanks very much!!

The dwarf variety of Indian Hawthorn/Raphiolepis, either the white or pink summer-flowering, might also do - they are a sturdy plant and can take an occasional drowning. If there's room, or if you don't mind pruning, the regular one could also work, but will grow to 4-6' unpruned.

Itea or Clethra are both wetlands shrubs, which will grow happily in regular soil - they will sucker a bit, and might need pruning to size. Clethra flowers about now, either in white or pink.

Dusty zenobia is another for wet feet, as is red-twig dogwood, or sweetshrub/calycanthus - the fragrance there can be variable.

Glossy abelia is another thought - summer flowering, will need some pruning to keep in size, although there are dwarf forms.

I have a similar problem, but the runoff enters a raised planter. If a raised bed or berm is a possibility for you it will add to your choices.

Becky

Great ideas -- I really appreciate it! I'm waiting for the current heat wave to pass before trying to plant anything, but I'm excited about all the possibilities.

My first thought was Itea virginica, or Virginia sweetspire. Can handle full sun better than Clethra (foliage can bleach out a bit in full sun), fragrant flowers in late spring, good fall color. Not the showiest plant in the world until fall but a really tought plant. Doesn't get nearly as big as Clethra and doesn't sucker as much either.

A shrub is about the only thing that will stand up to runoff.