Ed Snodgrass stands on stage 1 – the green cap .
Ed Snodgrassis the internationally known green - ceiling author , consultant and agriculturist whose ownMaryland nurseryexperienced downpours gushing downhill , unstopped by mere turfgrass . Of naturally he was using vege out roofs , but that was n’t enough .
As Ed wrote me , “ Even though the farm is mostly pervious , in high strength upshot weewee used to stream down my driveway . Now that is mostly manage wholly , except for the enceinte violent storm and then it is moderated . ” He does n’t even name how arresting the solution looks , but then he ’s a modest guy rope .
Ed Snodgrass stands on stage 1 – the green roof.
degree 2 – the upstream pool and planting .
To lick the lingering job he supplant those speckle of lawn with three gorgeous gardens that in succession create what ’s called atreatment string . He explains that “ Any one of the organisation might get overwhelmed but lick together , they each help the other . The unripe roof slows the H2O down , grant the water system to be eased into the system at a slower tip rate . ”
phase 3 island bed with pond .
Stage 2 – the upstream pond and plantings.
And “ The two modest ponds are for detainment and percolation . ” Well , the pool may be small pond but they ’re surround by hundreds of water - retain industrial plant . Stage 3 , shown above and below , was designed by Australian designerMel Ogden , whom Ed run across while work on a project together in China .
Mel chose the disease - resistantRudbeckia deamiias the show-stopper for the garden . Massing is her dash and wow , I ’m all for it .
Stage 4 habituate grasses and “ meander . ”
Stage 3 island bed with pond.
The cookhouse in Ed’streatment train , also plan by Mel Ogden and set up just a year ago , is shown above and below . He explicate that it as “ uses the meander for deposit deposit and slow up the velocity of the water system . ”
Here ’s Ed ’s approach from his ten in the trenches of stormwater management : “ All of that is jolly standard stormwater stuff . We are just trying to show they can be garden and not just ditches and deposit pool . ” ( Hear , hear ! )
Early May 2015
Ed sent me these photos of the design and implementation phase , with overhead views from a 2d - taradiddle window being especially instructive .
June 1 , 2015
July 2016 .
Stage 4 uses grasses and “meanders.”
I of late visited Ed , peculiar to see all this and honestly essay some flower child companionship . I thank him for that ( he has story ! ) and for his picture , especially this last one with rain flowing through it , take this week . Just a year previous , thetreatment traincaboose is performing as intended and is beautiful already .
Ed with works list for stage 2 garden . Photo by Allen Bush
To learn more , readAllen Bush ’s 2015 postabout Ed ’s garden .
Plants selected by Mel Ogden for the new garden are : Sesleria autumnalis , Sesleria caerulea , Panicum virgatum ‘ Kurt Bluemel , Pennisetum viridesenes , Sporobolus heterolepis , Carex humilis ‘ Hexe , ’ Carex pensylvanica , Carex testacea , Calamagrostis brachytricha , Deschampsia flexuosa , Stipa gigantia , Bouteloua curtipendula , Phedimus takesimensis , Acer palmatum Shishigashira , Acer palmatum Bloodgood .
Early May 2015
20 April 2025
July 2016.
Ed with plant list for stage 2 garden. Photo by Allen Bush
