Now that we have survived the worst heat wave in Seattle history -- only 4 or 5 days really, but enough to make some of us wish we were anywhere else -- we take another look at the raingarden. Today it is lush and green, although I have barely watered it. We had one day of rain in July, I think, so some drain water was available. I may have turned the hose on it occasionally when I was passing by to water the vegetables planted nearby, but no regular watering in the swale of the rain garden. Yet we have lush croscomia, yellow twig dogwood, pieris, hellebore, solomon's seal, sedums, and not too many weeds. The load of arborist wood chips I had dumped in the nearby parking strip overflowed into the raingarden, so thick layer of the chips covered over everything there. No damage, just a thick blanket (3-4 inches) of protective mulch.