Cardiff Council has installed rain gardens across the city, including Canton, Cathays, Riverside, and the city centre, as part of their efforts to improve drainage and increase biodiversity.
These planters have three layers, which capture rainfall before it enters the piped network and either releases it slowly into this network or allows it to infiltrate into the ground.
They are typically filled with a variety of plants that absorb water, create a nice environment for insects and wildlife, and make the city’s streets more attractive.
However, some residents are puzzled and frustrated by their appearance and confused about their purpose.
Rain Gardens: Purpose and Design
Rain gardens are a type of sustainable drainage system designed to give water a place to collect and pool, rather than overwhelming the existing drains and flooding the road or pavement.
They are made up of three layers, including the freeboard, topsoil, and sub-base.
The top layer is where water pools, the second layer absorbs pooling water, and the third layer stores the water before it drains away.
Rain gardens typically contain plants that absorb water and pollutants, and provide new habitats for pollinators.
Mixed Reception
Despite their benefits, many rain gardens in Cardiff have not lived up to expectations, causing discontent among some residents.
On Riverside’s Tudor Street, many rain gardens were installed as part of a £5m redevelopment of the road and cycle lanes.
Salek Miah, who runs PC Express, a computer repair shop on the road, complains that the gardens look terrible and have a negative effect on the area’s appearance.
Some residents have also raised concerns about the potential dangers posed by the gaps between the surface of the gardens and the pavement, particularly for elderly customers.
Similarly, rain gardens built as part of “environmental improvements” to the area along Cowbridge Road East have received mixed reviews.
While they have more plant life, they are still strewn with litter, and parking problems persist.
Despite the council’s assurance that rain gardens are essential to managing rainwater and providing additional capacity in the existing drainage system, some residents fail to see their value.
Conclusion
Although rain gardens have benefits, including better drainage and increased biodiversity, their installation across Cardiff has been met with mixed reviews.
Some residents are frustrated by their appearance, and others have raised concerns about their potential dangers and lack of functionality.
However, the council maintains that rain gardens are essential to managing rainwater and providing additional capacity in the existing drainage system, and they are required by law in all new medium and large-scale developments across Wales.