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Rain Gardens

Rain gardens are a beautiful way to keep our waterways clean!

A rain garden is a landscaped area specially designed to collect rainfall and stormwater runoff. Rain gardens are taking “flower power” to the next level by keeping pollutants out of our local waterways. The native plants, grasses and trees used in a rain garden remove pollutants from rainwater runoff and allow water to slowly seep into the ground and evaporate into the atmosphere. Rain gardens capture rainwater runoff that would otherwise travel over hard surfaces, picking up pollutants along the way, and flow into the storm drains which lead directly to our local waterways.

Rain gardens have both flood and drought tolerant native plants, grasses and trees. A top layer of mulch will keep the weeds out and improve water absorption and filtration.

Rain gardens have many benefits:
• enhance the beauty of your yard
• diversify the plants in your yard
• provide habitat for birds and insects
• filter stormwater runoff before it enters local waterways

Looking for a solution to the standing water on your property, a way to add more color to your yard and help improve water quality? Then a rain garden is your solution! Here are the key steps to installing a rain garden:
Strategically locate your rain garden by noticing where water already flows or pools. Consider placing it near your house to catch runoff from the roof or in another area of your lawn to collect runoff from other hard surfaces.
Select a variety of native plants, being careful to include both drought and flood-tolerant species suitable for our climate zone.
Sketch out your garden design and plant placement, or work with a professional landscaper to create a successful design.