Smart Hardscaping
FROM driveways to patios to garden paths, most
landscape designs include at least a bit of hardscaping.
A few steppingstones won’t make much dif-ference
in how water seeps (or doesn’t seep) into your
soil but having large portions of your lawn covered by
cement, pavers or other hard materials makes a signif-icant
impact, especially when water runs off those sur-faces
into the street or nearby waterways. Choose hard-scape
options that allow water to percolate through the
layers of soil rather than running off into streets, gutters
and streams, carrying pollutants with it.
Smart hardscaping materials include loose gravel or
pebbles, interlocking pavers with spaces, and permeable
concrete. These each have advantages and disadvantages
depending on where you intend to install them.
JOHN GOULD c. 1873
Beth Adams, Sarah Morris, and Kim Shipley, assumed ownership
January 21, 2022. Now in its twentieth year of operation,
Protocol offers a beautiful collection of curated brands, including
Baccarat, Herend, Simon Pearce, Matouk and more.
www.wrightsvillebeachmagazine.com 21
WBM
Rain
Gardens
A
RAIN gar-den
is
a garden
bed located to capture
rainwater and runoff so it
can percolate into the ground
instead of flowing out of your yard, reducing flooding, pollu-tion
and stormwater runoff.
Rain gardens are beautiful and simple to create. Select a site
10 feet from your home and 25 feet from your well and septic
field. Call 811 to check for utilities before digging.
Most rain gardens are round or oval but can be any shape.
Dig out a shallow depression 6 to 10 inches lower than the
surface of your yard and plant shrubs, flowers and grasses
that can tolerate “wet feet” (having their roots in water for
a while). The North Carolina Coastal Federation website
(www.nccoast.org) has detailed instructions on designing and
caring for your rain garden.
If your property drains slowly with a high water table and
soggy soil, consider creating a backyard wetland. Backyard
wetlands function much like rain gardens, but should be
planted with native plants that thrive in water. A healthy wet-land
is the natural home of mosquito predators like dragonflies
and frogs, so it should protect your property from those tiny
flying vampires.
All this information can be overwhelming, but you don’t
have to do it all at once. Making even one change will have
a positive impact and maybe even spark conversations with
neighbors about sustainable landscaping.
Protocol, Wilmington’s premier destination for gifts,
bridal registry, home accessories and furnishings,
has announced a change in ownership.
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Hours of operation: Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
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