A rain garden can be turned into a beautiful landscape by planting exquisite plants, both flowering and non-flowering in a planned manner.

Here is a list of top 10 rain garden plants that can enhance the aesthetics of your garden. Follow this compact list of plants to grow in rain garden and the place will be blooming in no time.

1. Swamp Sunflower

Swamp sunflower is a flowering plant native to the eastern parts of the United States. It grows in abundance in areas where the temperature does not go below – 10 degrees Fahrenheit. They are salt tolerant and grows best in plenty of sunshine. The golden yellow color can brighten up any rain garden. Swamp sunflower plants grow well in wet pine lands and swamps. Low spot rain gardens where the soil is saturated with water for a prolonged period of time, are good this plant.

2. Canna Lily

Canna Lily is an exquisite species which is native to the tropical and subtropical regions of South America. They are not true lilies but they have bright and loud colors with a large foliage. Canna lilies grow in a wide array of colors like red, orange, pink, yellow and relevant shades. These plants can be quite tall and grow up to a height of 8 feet. It is one of the best choices for a rain garden which has water saturated soil since Canna lilies love wet soil. Also read: diy rain chains.

3. Blue flag Iris

Blue Flag Iris is known by many other names like the northern blue flag, Harlequin blue flag, poison flag and more. This rain garden plant produces bright purple colored flowers which add a lovely look to the garden. They grow best in marshes, wet soils, meadows and shores. Blue Iris is native to Eastern United states, North America and eastern Canada. This plant needs full sunshine and plenty of water. It is tolerant of cold temperatures.

4. California Poppy

California poppy is a vibrant flowering plant which grows mainly in California and Oregon. These rain garden plants produce paper thin flowers whose colors range from white to yellow to red.  The green leaves and the brightly colored flowers can impart a fabulous look to your rain garden. Rain gardens and sunny hillsides are the best locations for these plants to thrive well in. They are tolerant to drought and the bloom period extends when sunshine and water are provided sufficiently.

5. Lavender

Lavender is one of the most popular rain garden plants used for its enchanting fragrance. It is a plant native to the Mediterranean regions and found in many varieties. You can plant lavender plants at the edge of your rain garden or border the garden with these pretty shrubs. Lavender does not survive well in extremely cold temperatures and needs lots of sunshine and moderate water. The tiny violet flowers generally bloom in late spring and continue blooming till early summer. Also read: diy rain barrel.

6. Lady Fern

If you are looking for lovely feathery leaved plants for rain garden, Lady Fern can be your garden’s best friend. Its name is derived from its ladylike, graceful appearance. Native to the northern hemisphere, Lady Fern grows well in woodlands, wetlands, damp and shady areas. These rain garden plants are widely used for decoration purposes and can revamp the look of your rain garden. The height of this plant ranges from 4 to 5 feet. Rain basins and lower spots in the garden would be the best place to plant Lady Ferns.

7. Daylily

Daylily is a lovely flowering plant which can grow in a wide variety of soil. This species is native to the eastern parts of Asia. The word Daylily refers ‘beauty for a day’. The color of this flower ranges from white to yellow and goes further to orange and pink shades. Whether you want a flowering plant or a non-flowering one, Daylily plants add a unique texture to the garden with its fountain like leaves. These plants can thrive in cold temperatures of up to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. Also read: rain gutter garden ideas.

8. Scarlet Rose Mallow

Known to grow in abundance in the southeastern parts of the United States, this beautiful, woody-based flowering plant can thrive in cold climate. These rain water plants can reach a height range of about 3 feet to 6 feet in length and from 2 feet to 3 feet in width. These plants need plenty of natural light to be in full bloom. Wet and moist soil or swamps are the most suitable places for Scarlet Rose plants to grow in. Although its shape differs from that of a rose, the 5 dark colored petals can surely make your garden look gorgeous.

9. Butterfly weed

As the name suggests, butterflies are attracted to this species of milkweed. These rain water plants are native to eastern North America. The flowers of this plant are bright orange in color and they grow from 0.3 to 1 meter in height. They produce good amounts of nectar which attracts butterflies. Gravel soil, sand or dry soil suits this plant the best and needs full sun. It is tolerant of cold climatic conditions and can survive in temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. While planting Butterfly weed plants, make sure that it receives a good amount of sunlight.

10. Swamp Milkweed

Swamp milkweed is a plan which is native to the eastern part of the United States. These rain water plants can thrive in cold temperatures up to -40 degrees Fahrenheit. The stems of this plant are green and the flowers are mauve in color, which bloom seasonally. Due to its ability to produce an abundant amount of nectar, monarch butterflies derive their food source form this plant. Their height ranges from 4-5 feet and the width ranges from 2-3 feet. These plants grow well in wet soil, meadows and swamps. They can do well in average garden soil.

Rain garden plants generally require wet or saturated soil, full sun and moist air to grow and bloom. Add these plants to your garden to alter the look of the landscape. Make sure that you provide the necessary and optimum conditions for every plant in your garden.

Squash, according to the viewpoint of botany negates the classification of being with vegetables and is considered as fruits having seeds. Originating from Central America 7500 years ago are now grown all around the world including beans and corns. The varieties of squash are categorized as either the summer or the winter squash. However, while planting squash their differences must be kept in notice (like their harvest time) in accordance with the appropriate type.

Summer squash,rich in vitamins A, C are mild flavored with thin skin producing effectively from early summer to the frost. Such varieties are shaggy and have various appearances; they are favorable for eating with less cooking as their skin is not poisonous. Most of them are harvested within 50 days and belongs to one of the following category:

• Scallop
• Crooked-neck
• Straight-neck
• Zucchini

Winter squash possibly stored throughout the winter have thick seeds enriched with iron and vitamins A, C. They require more cooking than the summer squashes. The storing could be done at cool and dark place for a month or so along with the fruit size. Harvesting normally takes about 70-120 days. Its further categories are as follows:

• Spaghetti
• Acorn
• Hubbard
• Butternut

Tips regarding how to plant squash

Growing summer or winter squash is simple despite of the numerous shapes, colors or sizes of the vines. These cucurbits have equal cultural needs like for growing squash vertically, a sunny location is needed. Certain important things regarding these squashes are as under:

1. Favorable season and sowing of seeds

Planting squash depends on the preferable seasonal conditions so that squash planted grows well. Unable to tolerate the first frost, squashes are summer loving. Growing squash in long-summer gardens requires sowing the seeds directly in hills after last date of frost, however; for small-summer gardens implanting the seeds before last frost date is effective. Squash plants require full sun, planted usually around 1 inch deep with 4-5 seeds per hill ignoring the root problems during transplanting. Indoor planting on the other hand works well with 1.5 cm squash seeds.

2. Soil requirements

Squash seeds decay in wet soil and develop defectively in cool soil. 6.0-6.5 is the optimal soil pH for winter squashes. Soil should be prepared up to a depth of 18-20” for growing squash as they require enough organic matter for their feeding. The pH range 5.5-6.8 is considered as ideal for squash. If the soil is lean then various organic amendments by incorporating compost and decomposing manure could be added.

3. Squash plant spacing

Different squash plants require much space whether they are planted in raised gardens or the conventional hills. Winter squashes need more space around 5-7 feet apart than the summer squashes that work well with 3-4 feet hills apart. If the seeds are planted directly than they must be sown 6-8” apart with 3 feet among bush varieties and 4 feet among the vines. Proper air circulation should be present while planting squash so that the diseases could be avoided.

4. Watering

Like the watering process of every grown vegetable or plant is necessary, similarly proper water consumption is necessary for growing spaghetti squash or growing butternut squash. When the soil gets dry;summer squashes like yellow squash requires water till the roots for deep utilization. To avoid fruit deterioration watering must be reduced. Drip irrigation is another method of watering. However, for regular squash production 1-1.5” per week supply is considerable.

5. Care and fertilization

Effective care of squashes demands some tips like to thin the plants when first true leaves develop(to save the best three or four plants per hills), planning on 4sq inch for summer squashes and watering up till 20 inches deep.  As squash plants need ample amount of organic matter, add some organic fertilizer before transplanting to make a rich soil. 2 pounds of a fertilizer (20-20-20) per 100 feet of row is to be applied in spring. All varieties of squash once are grown up do not need much to do; cutting off old leaves is better where the main stem is being connected. Moreover, spreading vines require burying nodes so that it caters with the borers problems.

6. Harvesting conditions

In order to increase the production rate harvesting must be done frequently .Summer squashes like patti pan are harvested before ripening of fruits and winter squashes like acorn are harvested in the fall (usually late September-October). Some varieties take about 60 days to get maturity. Zucchini cultivars are best when they are 4-8”, however maturing a single fruit may affect the productivity. Winter squashes are tasty when the shells are hard. In this case all ripe fruits should be picked before the frost by using sharp knifes in dry weather.

7. Temperature and storage

Summer squashes can be stored in the refrigerator up to 10 days and winter ones are kept in cool locations for 1-6 months at a temperature of 50 to 65 degrees F packed in a freezer containers. Summer squash grows best between temperatures 65-75 degrees F with soil temperature at approximately 60 degrees F. Winter squash grows well in air temperatures ranging from 50° to 90°F.

8. Pests prevention

Squash pests include striped cucumber beetles; squash borers etc. Squash bugs are grayish brown bugs up to 3⁄4 inch long that wilt the plants, However; you can mound the soil over the wound to develop root systems, hence preventing from vine borers. Distorted squash in another case of stink bug can be corrected by spraying appropriate insecticides and thus various leading problems could be vanished. Sometimes if you’ve short of bees or the bees activity for transferring the male pollen to female flower is less, than you can manually pollinate with a Q-tip or can grow plants in the surroundings that attract bees.(See the flowers that attract butterflies and bees)

9. Dealing with the growing problems

Bacterial and fungal diseases are suspected through squash bugs, borers, powdery mildew in squashes that you can cure with fungicides. If proper planning and maintenance is not done then such problems could lead the leaves to wilt. Fulfillment of the growing requirements is important for the squashes to flourish. Consistent watering with fertilization and removal of debris (after final harvesting) are included in these measures. Digging weeds and covering the hays could be used to avoid borers attack. Rubbing of the red eggs is also prominent for destruction considering the entry holes at the plants base. Though planting of nasturtiums to keep away squash bugs is also recommendable.

     10.  Cooking tips

The summer squashes should be salted 15 mints before cooking and then are blotted dry. You should use grilling, stir frying to avoid mush factor as these are the best methods I advice. Squash about 4-6 ounces should be selected for amazing flavors using steam. However baking is perfect if refrigerated in a bag of plastic for around 5 days. On contrary, winter squashes skin must be peeled before cooking and they can be boiled, roasted, simmered for favorable tastes.