Susan and Alan – sustainable BALLARD

Hanover-2 — Something to smile about: a beautiful rain garden nestled under a big cedar.

“In 1998 my husband and I set up five rain barrels, for watering the garden: 55 gallons each x 5 = 220 gallons. I thought I was rain-rich! But come August my barrels were dry.

In 2011 I was thrilled to learn of Seattle’s RainWise program. Over the 15 years I had been gardening I recognized the need for more rainwater catchment and also the need to not overflow the city’s sewer treatment with heavy rainwater runoff.

We were lucky to find an excellent landscape architect, John Barker, who designed and built a lovely woodland rain garden under our cedar tree. It couldn’t be prettier, plus we have two cisterns that hold 400 gallons of rainwater total! NOW we are rain-rich!” – Susan and Alan

Rain Garden & Two 400 gallon Cisterns
Design by Forrest Gardens

In winter, it's a snow garden! — In winter, it’s a snow garden!