By Victoria Torley

It’s raining again and Metric Man is grumpy. He’s grumpy because all he sees is rain. That and the problems caused by rain. A leak here and there, a landslide, no signal on the TV, muddy dog feet—no wonder he is grumpy!

Yes, all those things are true and I am someone who does object to muddy dog feet, especially on my newly scrubbed tile, but there is a difference.

Metric Man does not garden.

Gardeners see things a bit differently.

We put buckets under the leaks and call a roof specialist; we mop up the paw prints, grab a book, and remember to plant vetiver on the hillside. When all that is done, we very quietly bless the rain.

All this lovely rain is making my plants grow and recharging the lake so we can send water to our friends on the coast. It is washing the tree trunks, gathering nutrients as it goes and carrying them onto the roots of my epiphytic orchids. It is also rejuvenating the moss.

Rejuvenating moss is important since I harvest a lot of moss and not just for the orchids. Much of it gets used immediately but some of it gets heated in the oven or microwave and used like peat moss in and on pots. Handy stuff, moss, and the rain are making a luxurious crop of it right now.

Now, it’s true that rain can turn a lot of ground into mud–messy sticky mud—but up here near the lake all you need is a couple of hours of sun and that top layer of mud is easy to turn over with a shovel and easy is a gardener’s dream. If you don’t believe me, try sticking a shovel into hard-baked ground and you will soon be ready to trade the shovel for a pickaxe. Been there, done that. Easy is better. I am far too old for a pickaxe.

Rain is getting into everything. Out there in the rain there are piles of branches and yard waste that are being softened by the rain. Holes are appearing and by morning the beetles and bugs and creepy crawlies will have found their way into the holes to help break down that waste and turn it into compost, deep-rich compost that will nourish the garden beds.

Rain is good stuff. I have my mop, my book, and I gave the dog a bath. Now if I could only channel the rain into the leaf cutter nests and drown them right out. There must be a way!

Plat of the week. A rain garden is a shallow, bowl-shaped area that collects water runoff from impervious surfaces such as downspouts, sump pumps, paved areas, roofs, driveways, walkways, and lawns. 

Often, the heavy rain from a thunderstorm comes down so quickly that the water doesn’t have time to soak into the ground, which means the water isn’t even available in the soil for thirsty plants to take up. A rain garden creates a “trap” for that water!

The plants for rain gardens are some of our favorites, especially the ones that attract beneficial and pollinating insects, butterflies, and birds.

Bee balm, (or Monarda didyma), attracts hummingbirds and butterflies with its pink, white or red flowers. These rain garden plants grow about three feet tall and wide and grow best in full sun.

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Find more amazing stories about gardening in Costa Rica on the Costa Rica Garden website. Regarding questions on this article, Ms. Victoria Torley, gardener columnist, can be reached by emailing victoriatorley1@gmail.com.