Product Description

Rain gardens encompass all possible elements that can be used to capture, channel, divert and make the most of the rain and snow that fall on a property. Using the innovative and attractive approaches described here, it is possible to enhance outdoor spaces and minimize the damaging effects of drought, stormwater runoff, and other environmental challenges. Nigel Dunnett & Andy Clayden have created a comprehensive guide to water management techniques for the garden and built environment. Filled with practical, manageable solutions for small and large-scale implementations and utilizing authoritative research with state-of-the-art case studies from all over the world, Rain Gardens is the first book on sustainable water management schemes suitable for students and professionals.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43276 in Books
• Published on: 2007-04-01
• Format: Illustrated
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 188 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780881928266
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.

From Booklist
The demand for water is growing exponentially as supplies dwindle, so it becomes ever more critical for home gardeners, professional landscapers, construction engineers, and city planners to consider rainfall and snowfall management. Structures as small as a garden shed and hard surfaces as massive as an arena parking lot each have an environmental effect through the loss of water as uncontained runoff. Rain gardening emphasizes the capture and reuse of water within residential and commercial landscapes by using such techniques as bioretention ponds, storm-water chains, green roofs, and permeable paving. In this unique and essential resource, Dunnett and Clayden expertly and comprehensively explain the various methods of creating rain-gardening systems in clear, precise, and enthusiastic language; augment their proposals with simple line drawings and color photographs; provide a concise directory of suitable plants; and draw on inspiring case histories of successful rain-garden projects throughout the U.S and Europe. Carol Haggas
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
In this unique and essential resource, Dunnett and Clayden expertly and comprehensively explain the various methods of creating rain gardening systems in clear, precise, and enthusiastic language ... and draw on inspiring case histories of successful rain garden projects throughout the United States and Europe. -- Carl Haggas Booklist 20070301 The ideas presented aren't naively idealistic, as the authors provide case studies from around the world and sketches and photos that illustrate how to make a rain garden a reality. -- Jessica Damiano Newsday 20070614 Great ideas for saving and utilizing this most precious resource - water. -- Virginia Hayes Santa Barbara Independent 20070705 A comprehensive guide to designing and implementing practical, manageable solutions for small and large-scale rain gardens at home and in the public landscape. O'Mama Report 20070705 A good read ... and an informative one as well. -- Fran Sorin CBS Radio Network 20070709 All gardeners can learn from this book, but if you have property, steep, or having drainage issues, this book should be required summer reading. -- Marianne Binetti Seattle Post-Intelligencer 20070720 What we need, clearly, is a style of gardening that can cope with periods of hot and dry, and cold and wet weather. It's a tall order, but [Rain Gardens] has come up with some pretty good answers. -- Elspeth Thompson Daily Telegraph (London) 20070717 This ground-breaking and important book explains the concept in simple, non-technical terms, and gives plenty of practical advice on how to go about making your garden better at absorbing rain in the way that natural environments do, and making it a more biodiverse and visually attractive place in the process. -- Noel Kingsbury Gardens Illustrated 20070801 Describes how to handle storm water in numerous ways that are practical and aesthetically pleasing. Nearly 200 color photographs and 40 line drawings leave little guesswork about how to create your own rain garden. -- Joel M. Lerner Washington Post 20070804 Dunnett and Clayden punctuate approachable text with a bevy of lovely photographs that capture the beauty and advantages of rain gardens. -- Ellison G. Weist Portland Tribune 20070814 An intelligent, urbane, visually compelling campaign for nothing less than the reformation of our built landscapes, all with a mind toward preservation and the natural flow of what may be our most critical resource: water. -- Felicia Parsons Northern Gardener 20070901 Has inspiring photographs, excellent diagrams, and a full plant list. It is solidly and passionately written and easily read by anyone who is inspired to use some of these strategies in the home environment. -- Cathie Draine Rapid City Journal 20070925 More readable than the somewhat clunky title suggests. It's also the first comprehensive guide to water management for home gardeners. Here are practical solutions to rainwater runoff, from green-roofed garden sheds to swales and ponds. -- Valerie Easton Seattle Times 20071009 If you need to install a rain garden, rejoice. The elegant, functional, and beautifully designed gardens in Rain Gardens ... will be an invaluable resource for those with soggy soil. -- Ann Lovejoy Seattle Post-Intelligencer 20071011 Despite the monsoon conditions in Ireland and the U.K., I found myself enjoying the rain when I read this book, imagining all the delightful ways in which design can be used to play with rainfall. -- Erik van Lennep Cultivate.ie 20070901 Present[s] plausible methods to capture, channel, divert, and take advantage of the precipitation that falls in our yards. -- John Bagnasco Garden Compass 20071101 [An] incredibly useful reference to peruse in order to summon up ideas for the redirection of not only our rain water, but our thoughts on what should be done with it. -- Jean Starr Northwest Indiana Times 20071108 Informs gardeners about the many types of rain gardens that are being developed for home as well as public use. ... Easy to use with lots of photographs and illustrations. -- Carol Wiese Chicago Sun-Times 20071102 Well-illustrated with color photographs and plans, this volume surveys the many creative and effective solutions ... of capturing and using rainwater as part of a building's design. ... Among those who will find the ideas of interest are landscape architects, architects, gardeners, and residential homeowners. Book News 20071101 Makes fascinating reading for gardeners, builders and environmentalists alike ... extremely thought-provoking and throws up plenty of new ideas ... well researched and full of pictures bringing new concepts of rainwater gardens vividly to life. A brilliant book. -- Angela Youngman MonstersAndCritics.com 20071214 An outstanding book ... plenty of photos and diagrams, many ideas for water management, and detailed plant lists. Garden Solutions 20080201 I love this book! ... Kudos to Nigel and Andy for creating such a detailed and comprehensive guide. ... The personal observations of the writers' experience as designers themselves and fathers of young children regarding the importance of designing secure but fun interactive water design is refreshing. -- Linda S. Velazquez GreenRoofs.com 20080129 An exciting and motivating book. ... These are simple ideas and strategies. Most can be done by a homeowner at minimal expense. -- Cathie Draine Napa Valley Register 20080119 Every bit as appealing as its title, Rain Gardens tells us what to do as we find ourselves in a built environment where much of the earth is paved over and our supply of cheap water is diminishing. An educational, practical, timely, and inspiring book. -- Katherine Cook Pacific Horticulture 20080701 Here you can learn how to capture rain and snowmelt runoff, how to disconnect your downspouts, create a green roof, bioretention ponds, storm-water chains and permeable paving. -- Francie Berg Oregonian 20090405

Review

“Here you can learn how to capture rain and snowmelt runoff, how to disconnect your downspouts, create a green roof, bioretention ponds, storm-water chains and permeable paving.”

Customer Reviews

Perhaps not what you are expecting ...
Let me first state that this is an excellent book. However, it is really a book about taking things to the next level. If you are looking for solid how-to information about installing a rain garden in your back yard, you might be disappointed.

Landscape architects, designers and accomplished amateurs with advanced skill sets looking to handle water both innovatively and creatively will delight in this book. I did ... but then I already have three rain gardens in my own landscape and teach how-to classes on installing them. If the concept of rain gardens intrigues you and you are looking for the basics on a DIY level, the free, downloadable rain garden manual from the University of Wisconsin is still the best source of that information, as of January 2008.

This book has a decidedly European flavor to it. And why shouldn't it? It is written by a couple of Brits. Although I am hard-pressed to see how some of the models given in the book will pass muster with the Americans with Disabilities Act, codes and other regulatory bodies, they should indeed stimulate the mind. The examples (of which there are many) also include public and even larger municipal installations. I find this a good thing for Americans to be exposed to. The Europeans are far ahead of us in green thinking. Included are some examples of essentially, municipal civil engineering projects both implemented and functioning with panache.

This is a book that I value having in my personal library. Someone looking for basic information may not.

Not proper title name
This book only covers about 16 pages of rain gardens out of ~175 pages. A more appropriate title should be its subtitle, not rain gardens. If you're looking for rain garden info, this is not the book. It is a good reference for other sustainable water practices - standing water retention, swimming ponds, green roofs, etc.

rain gardens review
A thorough treatment of all possible ways of dealing with storm water run-off, not just rain gardens. No detailed instructions on "how-to" which I had expected.