Valuing our Sacred Waters- Rain Gardens

Many of us already understand that rainwater runoff is a serious problem, that leads to stream, river, lake and bay pollution.  As Indigenous people we understand that Water is a sacred Spirit, who is essential to our life on this Earth.  Traditionally our people honored water in multiple ceremonies, used water within Ceremonies, and took care of the waters as a form of Ceremony!  The wisdom of our Taino Ancestors ensures that we always value water as a LIVING SPIRIT.  Water is certainly not an object or "thing".  


Soil should be stabilized by an array of plant roots.  Industrial agriculture creates runoff that not only contains lost topsoil, but also dangerous chemicals.  Urban storm water systems are overloaded with increasing rainfall levels that we are experiencing through these increasingly dramatic Earth Changes.  Flooding is becoming more devastating.  Meanwhile water tables in many areas are dropping to dangerously low levels, and wells are running dry.


Rain gardens are even more appropriate in urban settings where concrete covers most of the Earth.  They can contribute to increasing water tables, cleaning the water, greatly reducing erosion and runoff, as well as contribute to carbon sequestration.  


Although we live in a rural area, erosion is still an issue, as during rainstorms water gushes down our driveway past our front door and down the hill to the little stream below.  We have created an Earthen bowl which catches the water with a berm (Conuco) to absorb the extra water.  Plants are in it who like to have wet roots and flourish in these saturated conditions that would kill other plants.  On the Conuco other plants grow that prefer more drainage.  The rain garden provides multiple micro ecosystems for a great variety of plants.  By stopping the water from running off down the hill, we contribute to raising the water table and protecting our well's water supply.  Rain gardens are usually filled with Native Plants as a way to also protect and value the native flowers, shrubs and trees, as well as provide food and habitat for birds, insects and butterflies.


The video gives a tour of the rain garden, including focusing on the various plants growing in and around the rain garden.


These include:

Mullein- great medicinal plant, 

Stinging Nettle- tonic tea, spring restorative green, great sautéed

Equisetum - horsetail, contains silica, historically contributed to coal reserves

Witch Hazel (Hamamellis virginiana) great astringent

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower) superb immune boosting herb

Rudbeckia subtomentosa (Sweet Coneflower)

Eryngium yuccifolium (Button Eryngo)

Penstemon digitalis (butterfly attractor)

Monarda didyma (Bee Balm) great herbal tea

Amsonia hubrichtii (narrow leaf blue star)

Amsonia taberbaemontana (eastern blue star flower)

Liatris spicata (blazing star)

Lobelia siphilitica (giant blue lobelia)

Lobelia cardinalis (Cardinal Flower)

Coreopsis verticillata (Threadleaf Coreopsis)

Asclepius tuberosa (Pleurisy Root) root medicinal for chest complaints,  host of many species of butterfly.

Eupatorium purpureum (Joe Pye Weed) famous medicinal as well as the "Abre Camino" Plant of our Palo Tradition!

Clethra alnifolia (Summersweet)

Ilex glabra (Ink Berry)

Ilex verticillata (Winterberry)

Iris cristata (Crested Iris)


All of these, with the exception of Mullein and Stinging Nettle, are native plants, and all contribute to this healthy micro ecosystem.  The rain garden is very beneficial for bees and butterflies.  When it rains, it floods, then the water is absorbed into the soil and Conuco, where it filters down to the water table.  


The beauty of a rain garden can benefit us all whether we live in the city, the suburbs or the countryside or wilderness!