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: #96858 in Books
• Published on: 2007-05-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 188 pages

About the Author
Nigel Dunnett is a senior lecturer in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield where he has developed innovative research programmes into naturalistic and ecologically-informed planting for gardens and public landscapes. He writes regularly for leading horticultural magazines and journals and lectures widely throughout the U.K. He lives in Sheffield. Andy Clayden is a landscape architect, garden designer, and lecturer in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield, England. He lectures in design, landscape construction, and design detailing. His work as a designer and researcher focuses on the application of new technologies and approaches to the creation of sustainable design solutions. He lives in Sheffield with his family.

Customer Reviews

Respect rainwater - it's a powerful resource
This authoritative and timely book clearly explains the features of a rain garden, providing well illustrated international examples. Following this year's record rainfall, this book should be read by planners, developers, architects, garden designers and anyone else interested in slowing the flow of rainwater into mains drainage and other water courses, using whatever outdoor space they have influence over. I predict lots of show gardens with rain garden features in 2008...

A great book on sustainable design!
As some of you may know, the LEED building rating system focuses on 6 key areas: Sustainable site development (SS), water savings/efficiency (WE), energy & atmosphere (EA), materials and resource (MR), indoor environmental quality (IEQ), and innovations & design process (ID).

"Rain Gardens: Managing Water Sustainably in the Garden and Designed Landscape" is a very useful book on water savings/efficiency (WE). It described various ways of caturing, channeling, diverting and re-using water from rain and snow, including permeable paving, storm-water chains, bioretention ponds and green roofs. Rain gardens create great environment for wild life. They are visually pleasant, economical and sustainable. I live very close to several of the retention ponds of my local water district. They are fine examples of rain gardens, I always love to visit them and see the beautiful birds and plants in or near the retention ponds. Nigel Dunnett and Andy Clayden described many of the techniques that are used by my local water district. These techniques are unconventional and can be useful all over the world. They can effectively capture the storm water and let the water settle and clean itself through the natural process and save it for drought period, instead of using concrete-paved flood channel to rush the storm water to the ocean.

"Rain Gardens: Managing Water Sustainably in the Garden and Designed Landscape" has 188 pages and many line drawings and beautiful interior color photos. It is a great book on sustainable design.

Gang Chen, Author of "LEED AP Exam Guide" & "Planting Design Illustrated." LEED AP, AIA