The South rain garden was first, as you can tell by my poor spacing choices on the berms. The two Ilex verticillata 'Winter Red' will grow to at least 8 feet, so giving it about 4 feet of total room on the berm was a terrible idea. I'm going to let some of these things grow over the summer and then transplant them in the fall.

Anyway - sun to part sun here due to my neighbor's Leland Cypresses. On both berms there are three bushes - Oakleaf Hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers', I. verticillata 'Winter Red', and Lindera benzoin. The Spicebushes are probably the only things I'll leave in place since they probably have enough room to grow.

In the garden (Marked by rocks so I could tell where they were in the fall when I planted them):

(4) Lobelia cardinalis

(5) Asclepias incarnata

(5) Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe'

(3) Liatris spicata

(3) Asclepias tuberosa (in front of rain garden)

(3) Muhlenbergia capillaris (in front of rain garden)

Looks really good. What are you going to plant where the water will be? I think I would buy some more rocks and plant water loving plants at the lowest point. Water and sun loving, when they grow in, that is going to be beautiful!

My rain garden project should come together this year (famous last words). My yard had an above ground swimming pool in it that was sunk a few feet into the soil before it fell apart and got hauled away by the previous owner. I plan on using this "crater" to build a small pond that will catch the rain run off from my neighbors yard that tends to run across my yard or down my driveway and into my basement. I'm doing it all for the frogs. I love hearing them scream at each other at night.

I have never heard the term rain garden. We have a very wet area in our yard (standing water for several days after it rains) that we need to resolve. Is a rain garden a place for shrubs that like their feet very wet? This might be a dumb question, but do you have any problems with mosquitos?

John,

Them frogs are singing at the top of their lungs.... ha-ha. I know what you mean.

Well have you try germinating the lotus seeds and if so, did you succeed?

Let me know.. I might try and locate a rain garden/ pond just to have lotus flowers growing and also hear the frogs sing in a frenzy.. :-). I am dreaming of a lotus pond now!!!!

So it's been a few months and I wanted to get an update here so I can at least partially fufill my goal of keeping a running status. I had a couple things die (Lobelias), one Joe Pye Weed turned out to be a Monkeyflower, and another one turned out to be a Fleabane. I ripped out the Fleabane.

The one big issue is that I realized the perimeter bushes won't work - they're going to be too big. Even the dwarf hydrangeas (ruby slippers) but especially the "Winter Red" hollies, which get to 8 feet spread and height. Not sure what I was thinking, although I just didn't think trough that last minute substitution at the nursery when I really should have held out for Red Sprite and Jim Dandy. So I'll have to move those and think of a suitable berm replacement while keeping the Spicebushes. Any ideas? Was thinking maybe some panicums and something evergreen to anchor everything?

Some more pics. I planted this to attract wildlife and I am getting it! Build it and they will come. Especially the Joe Pye Weeds - these things are awesome magnets for pollinators.

Some kind of moths on Joe Pye 'Little Red'. Any ideas on ID?

Carpenter bee and wasp on Ascelpias incarnata

Buckeye on Joe Pye 'Little Red'

Honey bees (?) on Asclepias tuberosa

Ruby-throated hummingbird on Lobelia cardinalis

Love the pics! How awesome! What a great camera! Your neighbors already have evergreens, the side neighbor has leyland cypress, and the neighbor in the back of you has arborvitae against their fence.

I think the selection of some hydrangea is good, but they need ALOT of water to really look good. I mean, watering every other day when the temps get in the 90s. I don't know if that is a commitment you want.

What is your zone? Can you plant sweet olives where you live? you should find out, and then there is gardenia, they have a cold hardy one you can plant, Chuck Hayes, Jackson and Perkins has them for 20 bucks. They won't get real big and grow slow the first 3 years, but when they bloom, the smell will be delicious. They are both evergreen, sweet olives and gardenia. They are BERM bushes, no wet feet, but I think they might do well in your yard up against the fence.

Good luck! I love the idea of a pond, or even a bog, look for ideas under the BOG forum on this website. The low area of yard is perfect for it.

Hi rain garden enthusiasts. I am going to invite my Master Rain Gardener class to post in the Great Lakes Gardening forum here. Please come and help out newbie rain gardeners! I'd love your support and help from experienced gardeners. Sometimes the questions are general gardening, like how to remove sod, or more rain-garden-specific. Your comments are welcome!