Monday 10 November 2008

Disconnect your downpipes

Garden Designers are always looking for ways to return water to the ground naturally through infiltration back into the ground, rather than sending it off into storm drains.

Many are taking up the challenge to 'disconnect the downpipes' to prevent water ending up in underground drains. By disconnecting your downpipes, you can store water in a rainwater butt for use in the garden, channel it off to top up a water feature, or use it to irrigate your garden planters directly.

One of my favourites tricks is to use a traditional Japanese-style rain chain, or kusari doi.


Rain Chains break the fall of the water from the roof, guiding it visibly downward to the ground, or into a rain barrel for storage.


Rain Chains are usually made from copper as this doesn't rust, and acquires a lovely verdigris finish. Copper rain chains are an elegant and functional alternative to traditional closed metal or plastic downspouts and are becoming increasingly popular in the UK and USA

There are an excellent selection of Rain Chain available at UK Garden accessories supplier Garden Boutique and at RainChains.com or Gutter Supply in the USA


Rain chains can be beautiful as well as useful in a garden scheme
RainChains.com



Simple link rain chain
£119.95 Garden Boutique

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is so excellent as I'm just looking at these for my backyard cottage! I am going to add this post to mine so folks can see this article. Thank you.