Why do I always hear Rex Harrison's voice from My Fair Lady when I hear "rain chains"? We're not in Spain, nor in the plains, but by George I've finally got it, I mean, got one. It's been sitting in a box at least two years waiting for me to repair the fascia and soffit, then paint, then install a short section of guttering just so it could be deployed. No doubt you know how that goes. But it's all completed now and ready for the reveal.
The bottom of the chain is anchored in a large pot full of stones, something I decided to do to further slow the runoff. Underneath and surrounding the pot are more of the same stones.
After watching it in action through some hard rains, I can report it functions very well. The water gently cascades down and no longer washes out the bed or the gravel along the side of the driveway, and it's just so darned pretty to watch in action.
However, we have three oaks and a crape myrtle in the front that drop leaves and little bits of themselves on the roof and surrounding area. Too much of that stuff finds its way onto the roof and gets washed into the gutter/rain chain. Knowing this, I probably should have chosen an open chain design, rather than one that has these little cups. I'm tall enough to pick out most of it, but that same darned leaf in the very top cup has eluded my grasp.
It's not enough to block drainage or cause problems, but leaves and tree debris should be a consideration if you're thinking about installing a rain chain in your garden. I was looking for the dark metal finish to blend with other garden elements and leaves simply weren't part of my sorting algorithm.
This lovely came complete with that metal adapter from Rain Chains Direct (thank you Clayton!) which sells a large selection on their website as well as through Amazon. It was furnished in exchange for my unbiased evaluation.
All material © 2017 by Vicki Blachman for Playin' Outside. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
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Laura