Snack-able Rain Garden in Clive

Earlier this year Clive rolled out its new stormwater assistance program 

City of Clive's 

NEWLY UPDATED 

Stormwater Assistance Program

We shared their website on our social media, and soon after, we were contacted about installing a rain garden close to our office.  The first one using their new program.

The homeowner wanted to help by reducing her runoff and is making steps to become more environmentally responsible with her property - less spraying and more habitat.  However, she isn't fond of the wild, "prairie look" and hoped for something "tidy" looking.

Keeping this in mind, much of the basin floor was covered with low growing sedges for a clean palette.  As the eye travels towards the back and berm, we added a bit more diversity to try to maximize time with blooming plants, balancing that by keeping the number of different species lower.

And, as much as possible she wanted to include lots of edible and food producing plants.  We mentioned this fun project earlier!

We do have a fair amount of smaller native plants with edible fruit such as serviceberry and gooseberries, so we used two of each!  Although not in this project elderberry, paw paw and hazelnuts would be good native options too.  We also included strawberries, asparagus and some herbs.

We were sold out of strawberries, thanks to Iowa Backyard Farmer for these!

A rain barrel was also on the project wish list, too.  She chose a barrel that she found online, which matched the house well, but was a little different for us to install.

The overflow was directed down the front and the online reviews didn't make me feel confident we could drill into the side without damaging it.

We removed the existing downspout extension, to make mowing easier, and buried a drain tile in its place with a popup.

Before installing the stand and stabilizing rock, I ended up putting in a perforated tile under the overflow.  This was connected to the downspout tile we buried.  

I used larger river rock there, to hide that pipe, and also allow the overflow water in where it was directed into to the downspout tile and popup.

While I worked on the rain barrel, the guys started burying the downspouts and excavating for the catchment basin and berm.

Once the basin was dug, the amended soil was added, and inlet/outlets were armored.  The plants were put in, watered well and mulched.

For the final reveal and walk through, her sister was visiting and invited along.  They shared some family stories, and both agreed that they "absolutely love it!"

Since the strawberries are everbearing, and were already growing well, they have produced enough for a treat every few days! 🍓🍓🍓

ISWEP 2024 Private Organization of the Year Award

PRESS RELEASE - The Iowa Stormwater Education Partnership (ISWEP) is pleased to announce their 2024 award recipients.  On September 10, 2024 awards were presented at the Iowa Water Conference in Coralville, Iowa.  

Jeff Reiland of Abundant Design in the Des Moines area accepted the Urban Stormwater and Watershed Protection Private Organization of the Year Award.   This award recognizes the leadership provided by Abundant Design for the design and installation of green infrastructure including Drake University and Easter Lake Watershed projects.   Practices that were installed included bioretention cells, bioswales, and rain gardens.  They are commended for their commitment to improving local water quality.

The City of Grinnell, represented by Daniel Ramos, Jan Anderson, and Greg Roth of Veenstra and Kimm accepted the Urban Stormwater and Watershed Protection Jurisdiction of the Year Award.  This award recognizes the City of Grinnell for the Arbor Lake and English River-Dug Out Creek watershed projects that included permeable pavement, native landscaping, a bioswale, and stream restoration.  They are commended on their partnership effort with Iowa DNR, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Grinnell School District, and RC Properties and their commitment to improving local water quality and flood management.

John Swanson of Polk County accepted the Urban Stormwater and Watershed Protection Partner of the Year Award.  This award recognizes John Swanson and Polk County for the Fourmile Creek Public-Private Wetland Project. Four Mile Creek is an important watershed for Polk County and improving water quality while reducing flooding potential is a priority. Aside from the significant improvements in water quality entering Four Mile Creek resulting from the installation of a wetland, what is unique about this project is the public-private partnership between Eychaner Properties, Polk County, and the City of Ankeny. Polk County funded the design and construction of the project through a combination of grants from IDALS, the Iowa Finance Authority, and ARPA funds.

Greg Pierce of RDG Planning and Design in Des Moines accepted the Stormwater Advocacy Award for providing outstanding advocacy and technical guidance on state stormwater legislation.  He is recognized for his steadfast dedication in creating and promoting effective statewide stormwater design guidance.  This carries through to his passion for protecting and improving Iowa’s water resources. Greg provides great leadership in updates to the Iowa Stormwater Management Manual.  We appreciate his dedication to advancing stormwater design in Iowa.  His tireless leadership that was provided during the past two years during the Iowa legislative session is greatly appreciated.  

Pictures of award presentations by Pat Sauer and Loulou Dickey of the Iowa Storm Water Education Partnership -

Abundant Design - Jeff Reiland
Urban Stormwater and Watershed Protection Private Organization of the Year

City of Grinnell - Daniel Ramos, Jan Anderson, and Greg Roth
Urban Stormwater and Watershed Protection Jurisdiction of the Year

Polk County - John Swanson
Urban Stormwater and Watershed Protection Partner of the Year

Greg Pierce of RDG Planning and Design
Stormwater Advocacy Award

More pictures from the 2024 Iowa Water Conference (here)

Thank you Iowa Storm Water Education Partnership for this recognition and thank you to all our great customers for letting us create your beautiful and functional landscapes!

2024 Iowa Water Conference

More pictures from the 2024 Iowa Water Conference -

Welcome! on the big screen & one of several 'Ding' Darling cartoons on display

Topsoil - sadly our biggest export 

Nitrogen, nitrates and health

ISWEP Urban Stormwater and Watershed Protection Private Organization of the Year

Above photo courtesy of the Nevada FFA's Kevin Cooper, 

winner of Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance's Individual Impact Award

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A post shared by Nevada FFA (@nevadaiaffa)

Thank you to the Iowa Storm Water Education Partnership and the other great organizations working to conserve our water and other natural resources!

And thank you to all of our great customers for letting us create your beautiful and functional landscapes!

Drake's Harkin Institute

This project was one of several projects that came after we relocated the Sprout Garden and installed the Drake Food Forest.  The Tom and Ruth Harkin Center was initially designed and built to bring an innovative mixture of accessibility and sustainability to the campus experience.  It serves a place for, despite the name, non-partisan research and outreach around policy issues important to Senator Harkin.

Asters blooming as the planting was finished

The stormwater design was functional but never really blossomed.  So, in the summer of 2021, Kelly Norris was commissioned for reimagining the space and what it could be.  Abundant Design was contacted shortly thereafter to collaborate on the installation to bring the first 2000sf renovation to life.

Kelly Norris and Jeff Reiland

Step one was to remove the existing prairie dropseed and white blooming echinacea to prepare the area prior to new plant delivery.  Some of these were relocated to the Sprout rain garden/contour swales.

After the plants were laid out it was time to get planting! #thatsalotofplants

This late in the year my seasonal help had all gone back to school... but my auger in combination with the amended soil helped!  #justkeepplanting

The high planting density will ensure faster establishment and easier maintenance

This new plant selection with ~30 different species and varieties will provide spectacular color, diversity and full season interest for staff, students and visitors.  

A sleeping Monarch... better get a move on!

Once everything was planted, we used our tripod sprinkler setup to keep it watered for the first couple weeks even though it was getting quite cold some of the nights.

This planting was even highlighted in this article 

Greater Des Moines Eco-Friendly Gardens (dsmpartnership.com)

Here is a photo from July of the following year

It was really hitting it stride this summer!

"The Ruth Harkin Garden at The Harkin Institute on Drake University's campus, a living model for how bioswales can look and function in the urban landscape. I'm proud of this #planting we did in 2021, the first of two phases of this project, completed in 2022. 

We can partner with plant life for a more verdant, diverse, and complex ecosystem within the envelope of human activities. Living infrastructure can only fulfill its promise when plants are in the lead. While the concept gets a lot of air time these days, the results often lack vibrant vegetation. We hope this project serves as an example for why initial plant diversity and density matters."  Kelly Norris

Watch for the Phase 2 update!

Fall is for Trees!

As summer winds down and school starts back up for many, it may feel like the party is over... but with cooler temperatures comes a beautiful time of year, full of warm colors, falling leaves and favorite sporting events.

Fall is also a GREAT time to plant trees!  Planting in the Fall can set your new trees and shrubs up for long term success, with less stress than summer and beneficial root growth for a head start next season.

Cooler autumn temperatures help reduce transplant stress and moisture loss.  As long as the soil temperature is above 50°F the roots of the tree are still growing.  This extra time, typically into mid-November in Iowa, enables roots to get some extra growth before going fully dormant.

Soil Temperature & Garden Plants 

Autumn's arrival might even bring more rain than the hot and dry weather we've had lately and typical of late summer.  Combine this with the cooler temperatures and your trees might not use as much water as they would during the spring growth spurt and summer heat.  Even during the fall your newly planted tree will still require watering, however, especially to hydrate the subsoil well going into winter. 

"The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, and the next best time is now!"

One thing to consider is that these recommendations are for potted or container trees.  We don't plant dormant bare-root material in the fall in our climate.  They are hard to keep from drying out and winter will almost certainly kill a bare-root tree planted too late in fall in the North.  Early spring is a much better time to plant bare root trees!

When winter arrives your care activities can "chill out" for a few months, but...  

You'll want to keep young trees protected from deer and rabbits (more on that here)

Ask an Arborist: Why Should I Plant in the Fall? (youtube.com)

You might be wondering "How do I plant a tree well?"  Here is a quick overview of how we plant our trees-

Step 1 - Dig hole to a depth of 2" less than the rootball height and twice as wide.  You want the root crown just above the surrounding soil.

Step 2 - Remove the container and break up/cut any pot bound/circling roots, place in hole, and backfill about halfway.  Make sure tree is straight and plum.

Step 3 - Deeply water around the tree letting the water settle the soil. Finish backfilling and watering.

Step 4 - If needed tie up tree for stability.  Two T-posts at the North and South sides, driven outside of the excavated area, are usually enough.  Tie using wide straps with enough tension to allow flexing to strengthen trunks, but not so loose to tip or lean in strong winds.

Step 5 - Mulch in a ring 4'- 6' in diameter, 3-4” deep with hardwood mulch.  Leave several inches between the mulch and trunk to prevent fungal infection.  

Avoid the mulch volcano... instead go for a mulch donut!

Over the next few weeks and months observe and water as necessary until the tree is fully established. 

Water daily for 1-2 weeks; then 2-3 days for 3-12 weeks; then weekly until established

Apply 1-1.5 gallons per inch of caliper (trunk diameter) at each watering

If the ground does happen to thaw in winter, it would be a good idea to try and see if you can get some water to your young tree.  Winter's drying winds can evaporate moisture from the soil, especially if we don't have a protective blanket of snow.

A smaller tree will take nearly a full growing season to become fully established.  A 2" tree may require two years to become fully established on its own while a 3" tree may need three years. The larger the tree, the bigger the shock so continue to be diligent and observant even long after the initial planting and water accordingly.

"A society grows great when old men plant trees under whose shade they know they’ll never sit."

Need help planning and planting this fall?  Abundant Design offers Consultation, Design, Installation, and Stewardship services.  The fall offers a great opportunity to plant, and it’s also a great time to start planning and designing for next season.  We can help!

Easter Lake Rain Campaign Video

Here's a fun video we helped make with the Rain Campaign to showcase rain gardens as a Stormwater Best Management Practice.  Their videos help encourage homeowners to consider rain gardens and other best management practices to help with stormwater runoff mitigation and to help them with potential problems in their own yards - erosion, soggy areas, etc.

We had already been working with the homeowners in conjunction with the Easter Lake Watershed coordinator to help them with their yard issues and reduce the storm surge into the lake.  The following pictures show the flooding and poor drainage they were dealing with in their yard.  You can also see Easter Lake behind the trees and shrubs.

Their pipe was a short-term fix, and definitely not their favorite.

Watch the video here, with project photos following.

Rain Gardens (youtube.com)

The laser level helps us get the grading just right

Berms constructed, amended soil blend added

Mulching the fresh planting helps retain soil moisture and will feed the soil as it breaks down.  The basins are mulched lightly to prevent smothering of young plants when the basin fills and empties.

 

After photos of the dry stream which collects and moves rainwater from the downspouts to the basin.

The basin captures and infiltrates the first 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" of any rain event.  90% of historical rains for our area are under this amount. If we get more rain than that, the excess will be slowed and filtered through the native plants, and slowly go over the armored overflow.

Rain Garden - After

This picture is from the second year, and you can see the plant growth, adaptation and personal touches.  We designed the planting to be shade tolerant initially, yet take advantage of the future sunshine too - the park was planning restoration of the native savannah surrounding the lake.  Lots fewer, but quality tree species.

This year (year 3) we were doing another project nearby and were invited to come check it out.  After 2 years you can see continued adaptation and growth (although earlier in the season), and we happened to catch it filled with rain.

Stay tuned for more videos!