Rain Gardens & Wicking Beds
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Rain gardens are self-watering, low-maintenance gardens designed to protect our rivers and creeks by capturing stormwater that runs off hard surfaces when it rains. They have sides and during heavy rain act like ponds to capture this excess water. The water then drains away slowly. They are ideal for native plants that can cope with both wet and dry conditions.
Get instructions on how to build a rain garden at Melbourne Water here
How to Build a Rain Garden
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Wicking beds water plants from below rather than above, reducing evaporation loss. They’re giant self-watering pots with water reservoirs at the base. Moisture is drawn up through the soil via capillary action or wicking. They are ideal for growing veggies, particularly in dry condtions. There are a number of wicking beds on display at the Planetary Health Centre.
Watch a Gardening Australia video on how to build a wicking bed here
How to Build a Wicking Bed
This video gives simple step-by-step instructions by Alexa McAuley for a raingarden built at the NSW National Parks Blue Mountains Heritage Centre in Blackheath:
Raingarden Guides
Amy St Lawrence from Blue Mountains City Council’s Healthy Waterways Team explains what she’s doing at home to collect and use water; and how her rain garden reduces run-off during and after rainfall - read the full story >
