Hi. I'm Pat. I live in downtown Ann Arbor within the Allen Creek floodplain. I have 2 rain garden spots I am considering. One would be fairly long and narrow, and would need to take in the front third of the house's roof runoff: It's got quite a slope, and this would be a fabulous way to get rid of a very scruffy lawn the has been infiltrated with an unmowable sedge. The other spot would take up part of an existing flower bed and a small patch of lawn--basically I would like it to go driveway to driveway. My neighbors to the north are already interested in this process. They have drainage issues. What you cannot really see in this picture is the enormous silver maple in the yard behind this one that shades a third each of their yard, my yard, and my neighbor's house to the north. One question that came to mind yesterday while listening to the discussion of distance from house, is how this would apply to dry wells. I had one put in several years ago, and I now suspect it may be contributing to the damp corner in the basement.

So, my options. Lots of them, quite likely all involving tree roots. Option 1 - Rain gardens for sidewalk drainage. Where our front walk flows down to the sidewalk, and also just because of grade, water stands. It does this from the center of the house over to the driveway, and if there is a real storm, it overflows into the driveway, then the street. This also happens on the other side of the driveway, so I'd probably try to do one long, narrow garden in front of the sidewalk, up to the flower boxes, and a bigger one on the north side of the driveway between the sidewalk and the street. Option 2 - Backyard gutter garden. Again, there is a tree root issue, and anything here would likely have to be hand dug (by which I mean with a hand-held spade, not a shovel). Our backyard is on Chalmer's Drain (I always thought it was Mallets Creek, but it appears not??) - and there isn't much in the way of a run-off issue back there. The waterway is lined with caged rocks, and I suspect my back garden is already acting as a filter between the house/garage and the creek. Just feels like, since I've already got a long gutter clearing the water away from the house, this wouldn't be the most helpful rain garden. Option 3 - Driveway Dig Out Right now I have a downspout that comes out from the corner of the house about 3' into a flower bed. The flower bed helps retain some water, but it isn't dug in more than a few inches. Problem here is two-fold. The ground for the first 4 feet near the house is full of gravel. And then, tree roots. In an ideal world, I'd dig out a drainage path from the house-bed, under the walkway, into the other bed, and build the rain garden inside that bed. Then I'd put in the black flexi-pipe and cover the over up to the rain garden. My helper isn't going to want to help dig out that much... so I'm avoiding this, although I'd like to see that water come out further from the house, and need to do something about that regardless.

Ha ha! Drains too well! If only we were all so blessed! If you put water into a garden bed here, you will probably catch *all* of it. Like ALL the storms. Which would be awesome. But if you want a garden bed in another spot that is ok too. :)

I love your analysis! And you have prioritized your options - which is great. I think you are on the right track. Your plans seem sound. :) I don't see any roadblocks. And the front yard location will be stunning! I can't wait to see your planting plan.