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I admit that I drink coffee every morning, usually about
only one full mug. I probably don't even have to
because it's the wonderful aroma that really gets me
going. I would imagine the caffeine doesn't hurt
either! But how much caffeine am I truly ingesting all
day long? It is not often that I drink soda so my
caffeine intake is not usually from that source. Oh,
there is the occasional chocolate cake, candy, etc. that
must add some caffeine to my daily intake. But how
much? Let's look closer at the new caffeine
trends.
When I was growing up, all of the kids would drink the caffeine filled drink "Jolt Cola" or "Mountain Dew" to keep up their boundless energy. Now the options for caffeine filled drinks are outrageous! And it's not all the fault of caffeine but that of sugar and stimulant additives. In the Reader's Digest this July there is an article called "Spiked!" that talks about all the caffeine laden drinks that are being advertised to kids now a days. I am amazed that these manufacturers can get away with making a drink that is this lethal. I found, from this article and some research online, that the combination of caffeine, high sugar content and added "uppers" is what will put a kid over the edge with energy. Some of these new concoctions not only double or triple the caffeine of traditional soda, they also come with creative and catchy names! Radioactive Energy, Whoop Ass, Killer Buzz, Pimpjuice, Cocaine, Rockstar Energy, and Boo Koo Energy are just a few of the two billion cans of energy drinks that Americans have downed in 2006 or approximately $5 billion spent. And even though these companies are putting higher caffeine and sugar amounts into their product, they are also including caffeine-enhancing agents in the ingredients, such as taurine and guarana. Here are a few examples of just how toxic these drinks are: (Please remember: the section on "Death by Caffeine," taken by energyfiend.com website, is just there to emphasize what little amount it takes to be terminally affected by an energy drink. In no way are we encouraging drinking any of these drinks in mass quantities. We do however encourage everyone not to drink these drinks at all or to drink no more than one per day.) DEATH BY CAFFEINE! In this chart, you will see the milligrams of caffeine and sugar in each drink as well as how many drinks it would take to kill someone that is approximately 130 pounds. Morbid, I know, but I think you get the point of this. Drink ----- Mg of Caffeine ----- Mg of Sugar ----- # of drinks Coffee (8oz.) ----- 107 ----- 0 ----- 84 Coca-Cola (12oz) ----- 34----- 40 --- -- 261 A&W Cream Soda (12oz) ----- 29 --- -- 46 ----- 306 Boo Koo Energy (24oz)----- 360 ---- - 81 ----- 25 Jolt Cola (23oz)----- 220 ----- 94 ---- - 40 Cocaine (8 oz) ----- 280 ----- 18 --- -- 32 Lipton Iced Tea (20oz) ----- 50 --- -- 53 ----- 177 Mountain Dew (12oz) ----- 55 ----- 47 ----- 161 Starbucks Short Coffee (16oz) ----- 186 ---- - 0 ----- 48 There is a great website that you can go to which gives more information about caffeine and sugar in drinks and foods, it's www.energyfiend.c om. You can also check out any websites under keyword "energy drinks" or "energy drink reviews" to get personal reviews of these drinks. Recently I asked a few people if they drink or know anyone that drinks these energy drinks. I was amazed by the responses. Two responses in particular caught my attention. I spoke to a guy in his mid-thirties who was well aware of these "energy" drinks because his friends drink them "all day long," to stay awake, when they are all out hunting. He said he thinks they are addicted to the rush. A woman that I spoke to who had two kids (middle school age and younger) said, "all the kids in middle school drink these drinks." She continued on to say that she knows of a story from one of the other moms that one of the "games" that the kids play is to drink as much as they can until they throw up! And then drink some more to get that feeling of a high! Make sure you know what is going into your little ones and older ones bodies. These drinks can be fun once in a while but are very addicting. |
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These are the flag words of Kaivalyadhama Yoga
Institute, which describes itself as a "Center of
Scientific and Philosophical Research, Training, and
Treatment in Yoga". In the cool and scenic 'hill station'
of Lonavla, less than two hours outside Bombay, we
walked in unannounced to Kaivalyadhama Yoga
Institute, discovering this gem of yoga training,
research and therapy for the first time.
At the same time, however, there was a familiar feeling about the place, an experience of déjà vu. It was eight years ago that we first saw mention of Kaivalyadhama, in the personal letters of an American sadhu-renunciant, ex-neurologist, who lived twenty years in India before succumbing to reoccurring fevers eight years ago. Besides a large collection of books, he also left behind piles of journals and personal correspondence, including many handwritten letters, some never sent, some carbon-copied. In one letter, he greeted a yogi Swami, director of a yoga institute, warmly and respectfully, going on to praise the yoga research and treatment being carried out by the institute. He wrote how much he enjoyed his previous stay at the yoga center, and that he was looking forward to coming back at a certain date in the coming months. (Words and a respect which in fact he addressed to all those around him, a wide and eclectic circle which included prominent politicians, revered gurus, intellectuals, outcasts, and lowly street beggars.) I came across the musty letter eight years ago amidst piles of deteriorating journals and old correspondence, the author only one month deceased. I was immediately intrigued by this yoga center. The name and address unfamiliar, I made a mental note to look up this yoga institute and check out their study program. In those days, however, global information was not yet available at the extraordinary convenience of 'one click away' that it is today. As life took its turns, this particular mental note got lost amongst many others, just as the letter itself fell back into the anonymity of deteriorating papers and dust. Eight years later, by a sprinkle of chance mixed with Bombay friends' generous invitation to stay at their holiday house in the scenic hills near Lonavla, my husband and I found ourselves just next door to Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute. A long out-dated mental note resurfaced, and long-forgotten impressions came back- the dusty paper, the scrawling handwriting of the American sadhu and his warm words of praise, and the then-unfamiliar name of Kaivalyadhama Institute. Kaivalyadhama, after all these years, lived up to its role in this closing of a saga. On the outskirts of Lonavla town, the fresh mountain air, green surroundings and scenic mountains rising in all directions create a natural atmosphere of serenity ideal for yoga, spiritual retreat, and natural health cure and rejuvenation. The institute was founded by Swami Kuvalayananda in 1924 as a pioneering institute in the scientific exploration of yoga using modern research methods. Relevant scientific research on the effects of yoga training is carried out by experts in the fields of physiology, psychology, neurology, radiology and biochemistry. Kuvalayananda himself was fond of investigating well- known health folklore in order to determine whether they have any scientific basis. As old Indian tradition had a saying never to eat when angry, the Swami decided to check the evidence behind these oft- repeated words. After a big lunch, Swami Kuvalayananda had the stomach of a close colleague and disciple x-rayed, the well-fed guinea pig himself unaware of this exam. Following this, the Swami then purposely provoked this close disciple, making him angry and upset by speaking insulting words, and even, so the story goes, kicking him. The unwitting guinea pig again had his stomach x-rayed, in the midst of his anger and distress. The Swami then apologized fully to his diligent disciple, explaining it was all only an investigation on the physiological effects of anger on the stomach. After the Swami's apologies and five minutes of calming meditation, the disciple once again had his stomach x-rayed, this time with his full consent. The x-ray results, still displayed today in the research center's display hall, are quite clear: the second image taken in the height of anger shows a tensed and greatly compressed stomach about half the size of the relaxed image taken prior to the insults. The third image, taken five minutes after the Swami's apologetic words and calming meditation, mirrors the first image of a larger, distended stomach. With the considerable advance of modern scientific research in the last century, the scope of scientific yoga research has widened extensively. Careful research has proven substantial benefits for the conditions of asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, amongst others. Yoga Mimamsa, Kaivalyadhama's publication journal, covers the complete studies and findings of the yoga institute's scientific research department. Some of the more spectacular research projects include the 'Pit Burial Samadhi', in which adept yogis and 'normal people' are sealed in an underground pit. The 'normal' person can stay in the pit for a maximum of 10-12 hours, while the yogi entered into the concentrated Samadhi trance can remain up to 18 hours, with a much higher tolerance to increased carbon dioxide concentration. In the 'Heart Stoppage' project, ECG studies recorded a yogi stopping his heartbeat for 3-5 seconds, at will, during yogic heart control exercises. Studies on 'Surya Yogi' (Sun-Gazing Yogi Adept) recorded that he could gaze at the sun continuously for a period of 30 minutes, in a state of reduced blood pressure, and that he fasted six days with unchanged physiological and mental conditions. Aside from research, a strong emphasis is put on yoga treatment and health care. The Nature Cure center offers a combination of qualified doctors, yoga therapists and naturopaths working together systematically to provide a highly personalized yoga and nature cure in a retreat program of a minimum of seven days. The Nature Cure therapists carry out a range of treatments such as massage, local and body steam applications, mud packs and inner cleansing therapies personally tailored for each patient's condition, while yoga therapists prescribe the yoga practice suitable for each individual patient. Both work under full supervision and in cooperation with resident doctors. Yoga therapy has proved particularly successful with chronic functional disorders. Treated conditions range from migraines and headaches, asthma, high blood pressure, thyroid imbalance, functional heart disease, obesity, spondylosis, arthritis, hypertension, back problems, menstrual disorders, and diabetes. While the body's secretion of insulin itself is not increased through yoga therapy, a marked increase in the body's acceptance of glucose has been shown, at times dramatically, so that the diabetic's actual need for insulin intake may be greatly reduced. Yoga therapy, when properly practiced, involves a full re-conditioning of the neuro-muscular system and the entire physiological functioning of the body, including a stimulation of the body's natural eliminative 'de-tox' processes as an essential part of any cure. At the same time, the first and most important step stressed in yoga therapy is the cultivation of a positive mental outlook. While spiritual instruction and guidance is purely voluntary, anyone expressing interest in learning the spiritual philosophy of yoga, and receiving meditation instruction and guidance will be given full attention, personal teaching, and encouragement. Cost of a nature cure retreat, for foreigners, including healthy and nutritious meals, lodging, all classes, medical exams and therapies, ranges from $12-$30 per person per day, depending on single or double room occupancy, shared or private bathroom, non-AC or AC rooms. *As the climate of this region is relatively cool most of the year, AC is not usually required except late spring and summer. All rooms are equipped with fans, which some people find sufficient even in the hot periods. We left Kaivalyadhama after a full afternoon of tours and discussions and a quick peak at one of the earliest yoga scriptures before the library's closing. As we walked out of the gate back into the 'normal world', the sun's rays having eased by now into a gentle warm touch on our faces, the words of a musty, dusty handwritten letter shone vividly in my mind. I felt that a small tribute had been paid to that American sadhu who was a legend in life, and an enigmatic hero in death, yet whose extensive writings and letters lay long neglected in a room filled with his personal things and papers, where rats, mice and armies of ants worked quickly to devour the testimonies he left behind. This particular letter, along with all the other papers, has probably long since turned to dust, but in visiting Kaivalayadhama Yoga Institute, a part of it fluttered back to life. Signed, At Your Feet, ____________. In fact, not only all the papers and writings, but the very building itself, has turned to dust, crushed into the earth by a government's demolishing order. Two months after visiting Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute, we stood in front of a quiet lot surrounded by trees where the sadhu's library had once stood. On top of that one- room debris smoothed into the ground, some ten or so families were now living in tiny tent 'houses' in what might be called a slum, though the good drinking well just a few meters away, the plentiful shady trees surrounding, and the quiet nature around gives the area a feeling of peace, and the children, ample place to play. Somehow, I think he wouldn't mind, in the end. To Contact Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute: www.kdham.com kdham@vsnl.com tel. 91-2114-273-001 |
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If you ask me, the most vile of all cleaners are tile and
tub cleaners from the supermarket (i.e. Tilex!). These
chemical cleaners are so full of ammonia and horrible
tear-wrenching chemicals that you don't have to go
blind or lose your sense of smell to know that they are
toxic and probably very bad for you to inhale or be
around for too long. The bottles actually say to be "in a
well-ventilated room when using this product." And I
know most of us, when using these products to clean
the bathtub or shower, will turn on the hot water to
rinse the chemical off the walls- creating a more
potent smell. Here are some alternatives that really
work.
First of all, there are a few things to do that can help keep mildew and slim in the bathroom at bay. Here are some ideas: 1) Mildew doesn't grow in dry air and sunlight, so air out your bathroom as soon as you are finished taking a shower. Open up the curtains and windows to let in the light. If you are building a new house or looking for one, make sure the bathrooms are on the sunny side of the house and that they have ample ventilation. 2) Oil resists water. Try wiping areas that could build up mildew with an oily rag. It will help the moisture stay away. 3) Squeegee your shower. It will help get all the moisture off the walls and the soap scum down the drain. They probably have one of these little gadgets at a dollar store near you. 4) My mom taught me this one. Wash your clear plastic shower curtain, which everyone usually has on the inside of the nice cloth one, with a couple of towels in the washing machine. The towels act as a scrubby and get it very clean. Formulas you can live with. Here is a recipe for homemade Tub and Tile Cleaner that I found in a book "Clean House, Clean Planet." Try it for yourself. It can't hurt! Ingredients: Arm & Hammer Baking soda (it is the highest quality and makes a big difference), a high-quality liquid soap (not liquid detergent), white distilled vinegar, water, a 16 oz. Squeeze container with a special kind of squirt flip-top cap or reuse one of the cleaning bottles you have around that has a lip-top cap. How to Make it: Mix 1 2/3 cups baking soda with ½ cup of liquid soap in a bowl. Dilute with ½ cup water. Add the 2 Tbsp vinegar LAST. Stir until the lumps are gone. If you can pour it into the container easily then you have the right consistency. If it's too thick, ass more water. Keep the cap on, because this mixture will dry out. Shake well before using. How to Use: Squirt this excellent cleaner anywhere. Effectiveness is 90%-100%. Want to use scented vinegar? How about these recipes that you can add to one gallon of distilled white vinegar: Lavender vinegar: 75 drops of lavender oil Eucalyptus Vinegar: 50 drops of the oil Apple, peach, etc. Vinegar: 25 drops of the oil Cleaning the toilet, tub and tile in the bathroom will never seem easier and more pleasant. |
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BASIL - (Ocimum Basilicum)
Basil has been cultivated for over 5,000 years. The word basil comes from Greece and means "King." Oxford English dictionary states that it was used in royal baths and as medicine in Greece. But it is considered the "king of herbs" by many chefs, as it is so versatile. Culinary Uses Basil is best eaten fresh or slightly cooked for the best taste. Dried or overcooked basil loses much of its taste and overall appeal. My mom takes fresh, uncooked basil and freezes it to keep longer and she believes it holds its taste better too. I have to agree with her because in many books it tells you to blanch the basil before freezing. I have never tried this but I would imagine it gets quick soggy and seems way less appetizing to me at that point! There are many different kinds of basil. At the CSA (Community Supported Agricultural Farm) that Michael and I belong to in New Jersey there are several varieties of basil offered. Some of these varieties, beyond the most widely used sweet basil, include purple ruffle, globe basil (grows like a bush with very small leaves), Thai basil (very unique fragrance and taste, amazing in curry), cinnamon basil, lemon basil and more. Basil seeds, when soaked in water, become gelatinous and are used for medicinal purposes in Indian medicine (Ayerveda) as well as in drinks and desserts. Medicinal Uses Basil has over fifty medicinal uses, ranging from skin conditions to kidney disease. I use it in a pinch to stave off mosquitoes. Just rub the oil from the leaf on your skin. Garden Uses When I worked at an organic CSA farm in Pennsylvania a while ago we planted basil around the tomato plants to work as a natural insect deterrent and it also helped enhance the flavor of the tomatoes. As Michael's mom (a seasoned gardener) has taught me, don't let the basil flower. Clip the center stem growth of the plant, right above where it forks. This happens all the way down the center stem so it can be clipped in stages. Clipping before the plant flowers will help it grow stronger and not get leggy. Buying Herbs Looking for ethically grown and harvested herbs? Try Living Earth Herbs (livingearthherbs.com). If you are not comfortable buying online, try your local farm stands for locally grown herbs. RECIPES The most famous recipe for basil has to be Pesto. It is a cinch to make. PESTO As much basil as you can stuff into a food processor (about the size of a quart size Ziploc bag) Pine Nuts (about ½ a cup)- they can be pricey. Buying them in bulk makes it cheaper. They store very well in the fridge. Lots of olive oil. I would say about ¾ cup. Garlic- a few cloves (optional). I always include it as garlic is so good for you. Parmesan Cheese. I don't use that much, maybe 1" X 1" block- maybe a little more if you'd like. Salt and Pepper to taste (I don't add a lot of salt as the cheese is salty enough). Combine everything in a food processor, adding olive oil little by little. That's it! I use pesto over pasta of course but I also love to spread it on spinach flavored flour tortillas for a feta cheese and veggie wrap sandwich. Here is a recipe that uses Thai Basil. SPICY LETTUCE WRAPS WITH THAI BASIL 1 cup rice 3 Tbsp veggie oil 1 small hot chili, minced (optional- depends on how hot you like it) 4 cloves of garlic, minced 1 Tbsp lemongrass 1 pound of tofu or ground cooked turkey or chicken- crumbled 1 ½ Tbsp fish sauce 2 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp sugar 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil leaves 3 scallions, thinly sliced About 12 leaves of Boston Lettuce Prepare rice and keep warm. Set wok or frying pan over high heat and add the oil. When it's hot add the chili and garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, until the garlic is golden brown. Add the lemongrass and sauté for another 15 minutes before adding the protein. Cook, stirring to break up the meat, for 3 minutes. Add the fish sauce, soy sauce and sugar and cook for another minute, stirring constantly. Turn off the heat. Roughly chop the basil and fold into the mixture along with the scallions. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately with the lettuce and rice. Have your guests make their own wraps by spooning a small amount of the meat or whatever into the hollow of a lettuce leaf, topping it with a few tablespoons of rice and folding the lettuce around the filling. Makes 6 servings. If you have any great recipes with your favorite foods, please send them to me and I will include them in this section of an upcoming issue. Or if you have any suggestions about what veggie, fruit, herb etc. you'd like to know more about- Just email me at tina@yogabean.net. Thanks! |
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This past July 7th, 2007 were the concerts, "Live
Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis." Did
you get to catch any of the festivities on TV, Internet, or
live? There were 100 acts in eight cities, reaching
over two billion people worldwide. It was, to date, the
planets biggest show. The tickets ranged from
around fifty to almost four hundred dollars per seat.
The only show in the United States was at Giants
Stadium in my home state of New Jersey! By the time
I found out about the show they were sold out of all the
tickets except the ones in the $150 and up range.
Although there is nothing posted online yet about what
kind of revenue the concerts produced, to help with the
climate crisis, I think it was ultimately successful as
billions of people are becoming more and more
aware of the crisis the earth's climate is in. It also
educated people about what we can do to help the
environment in our little way. Below are just a few
ideas of what we can do to help.
· Cloth Bag It: Plastics production produces 14% of toxic air emissions in the United States and each plant emits an average of 300- 500 gallons of contaminated wastewater per minute! Paper has its problems too: every year nearly 900 million trees are cut down to provide raw materials for American paper and pulp mills. Pulp and paper mills are also among the worst polluters of air, water and land of any manufacturing industry in the country. So how about cloth bagging it? I bring cloth bags with me when I go to the CSA or grocer. Its easy once you get into the habit. One of the easiest things to do, that will help you remember your bags, is to put them in your car. After going to the grocer, empty the bags in the house and immediately put them back in your car. It will work every time. · Reuse your water bottles: When I lived in Wallingford, PA, I had a neighbor, Libby, who had a whole system of labeling and reusing her water bottles. She would put a number on the top of the plastic bottle cap that would pertain to what month she first opened that water bottle. Then she would refill that bottle for one month and then recycle it. She is getting many more uses out of that one bottle instead of just tossing it in recycling after just one use. Less bottles bought, less bottles used. That's good for the environment and your pocket book! · Getting around. Vehicle miles traveled in the US in the past forty years has quadrupled. Pounds and pounds of Carbon Dioxide are going into the atmosphere every year. One of the ways you can help is to carpool or take public transportation to work. The average person, by driving two days less per week, can save about 143 gallons of gas and keep about 2,778 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere in one year. I have some smaller ideas that will help as well. In NJ there are many strip malls (lots of stores side by side). Sometimes these malls are pretty lengthy because of all the stores in close proximity. Try parking in the middle and walking from one store to the next instead of taking your car from one side of the strip mall to the other. It will help the environment and get you exercising. Another idea is to never leave your car running. Maybe you get into a conversation with someone you haven't seen in a while and you get out of the car to chat. Well, turn off your car. Letting it run is just sending more fumes into the air. My last idea is easy too. If you can, walk to the destination. I live very close to the "General Store" in town where you can purchase everything from take out food to a Band-Aid. Whenever I need to go, and I have a little time, I walk to the General Store. * Shut it off: Less than one percent of the water supply on earth is available for human consumption. In one day, the average person uses up to 183 gallons of water for drinking, cooking, washing, flushing, and watering. Here are some ideas on what you can do to decrease your water consumption. Try installing a low-flow showerhead or faucet aerator. Both will significantly reduce the amount of water that you use. When watering your plants, a drip irrigation system outside (you can use drip tape) is much more efficient then watering with a sprinkler or hose. Because the water in the drip irrigation drips right into the ground, there is no evaporation, and this method uses less water overall to keep your plants evenly watered. Don't forget to turn off the water when you are brushing your teeth. When you are doing the dishes, fill up a basin of soapy water to wash your dishes in and then rinse in cold water quickly (cold water rinses dishes quicker than warm). Lastly, skip drying your clothes in a drier and just hang them outside. They will smell fresh and clean and it wont cost you a dime in electricity. Whatever you try to do to help the environment, at least you are trying. That is making all the difference. Have fun! Some of this information and statistics where taken from the following book: Trask,, C. (2006). It's Easy Being Green. Layton, UT: Gibbs Smith. Want more info on the Earth Live concerts? Try their official website: http://liveearth .msn.com/concerts Or get more information on how to help our environment at:http://liveearth.org/ |
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Rain Gardens
April showers may bring May, June and July flowers, but for many of us they also bring soggy patches in our yard. If you have a low spot in your yard and you despair of ever getting grass to grow there, stop fighting nature and create a rain garden instead! A rain garden at its most basic is simply a low spot that gathers rain water and is planted with any plant that grows well in wet conditions. Rain gardens can look just like any flower bed but they have the added benefit of helping to manage stormwater. Most lawns have a very short root system and consist of compacted soil. When rain lands on a lawn, either directly from the sky or indirectly from a downspout, very little of it soaks into the soil. If there is any slope to the lawn, most of the stormwater will run off- frequently ending up in a sewer system. If you are unlucky and your yard is poorly graded, it may end up in you basement. The next time it rains after a dry spell of at least a week, dig a small hole in you lawn to see just how shallow turf grass roots are and to see how far down the rain has penetrated. (An exception to this is sandy soil. Sandy soil won't compact as badly and will absorb rain better.) A rain garden will collect that stormwater runoff, allowing it to soak into the ground where it can be used by your plants and can help recharge the groundwater. A rain garden will also help to filter out any pollutants carried by the stormwater and keep our waterways cleaner. Even if, in the case of a heavy or long rainstorm, the rain garden fills up and overflows, it has still helped to protect the local waterways by retaining some of the stormwater and slowing down the runoff to those streams. If runoff can be delayed and slowed before hitting a stream, it is less likely to cause erosion and is more likely to be cooler and therefore less damaging to the fish and macro- invertebrates that live in the stream. Despite all the benefits of rain gardens, you do need to site them carefully or you may end up creating problems. For example, you don't want to create a rain garden up against the foundation of your house or around your deck. It should be downhill from your house and at least 10 feet away from it. As always, you should be aware of the location of any underground utilities before you dig. All states have "One Call" numbers to initiate the marking of all underground utilities. The PA One Call number is 1-800-242-1776. The NJ One Call number is 1-800-272-1000. The service is free to homeowners. If you already have an existing low spot in a good location, simply remove the lawn (or weeds as the case may be) then plant and mulch as you would any garden bed. The only difference is that you need to choose your plants with a little more care. A rain garden can also be created. In addition to the above guidelines for locating your rain garden, don't locate your rain garden near a mature tree unless the tree is already growing and thriving in wet soil. Good locations are around parking areas, to filter any pollution that stormwater carries from these sites, and by downspout or storm system outflows. (Remember to stay at least 10' from the house. Downspouts should send stormwater at least 10' from the house before discharging it too.) To create a rain garden, just excavate an area down 4-8" from the surrounding soil. The easiest way to do this is on a slope-dig out the uphill side of the slope and use that soil to create a berm (a mound) on the downhill side to retain the water. Your goal is to create an area that collects as much stormwater as can infiltrate in a day or two. You are not creating a pond that will always have standing water. You may want to deliberately create a low point on the edge of your rain garden so you can control the direction that the overflow goes. Rain gardens can be planted with trees, shrubs and perennials, just like any other planting bed. Just like any planting bed, they can be a source of flowers and fall leaf color. They can also be very good at attracting birds and butterflies, especially if you plant them with native plants. Any good nursery can help you choose plants for your rain garden, as can a number of websites. Remember, you want plants that can tolerate wet conditions not plants that require wet conditions. Your rain garden typically will dry out between storms (except maybe during frequent spring showers.) Both the Native Plant Society of New Jersey and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources have produced extensive manuals on creating rain gardens. They are available as PDFs on their websites: htt p://www.npsnj.org/rain_garden_home.htm and http://clean- water.uwex.edu/pubs/home.htm#rain. Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve has lists of native plants for various conditions including wet soil. They can be found here: http://www.bhwp.org/native/native_plants_i nfo_sheets.htm. Happy gardening! By Bryn Richard Bryn Richard is a licensed landscape architect with a strong interest in sustainable design. She can be reached at Bryn@BlueTrillium.net and welcomes your questions and suggestions for further articles. |
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Don't forget, please send this to your friends and family so that everyone can be a part of the Yoga Bean family. Talk to you soon!
Sincerely,
Tina LeMar
Yoga Bean
email:
tina@yogabean.net
phone:
610.805.6724
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