What is a rain garden?

A rain garden is an attractive garden with a special purpose — to reduce the amount of rain water and pollutants entering streams, rivers and lakes. Rain gardens are typically landscaped with plant species native to our region that can survive varying wet and dry conditions, that have deep roots to improve soil conditions and that add beauty. By directing the rain from your roof or driveway, you can add beauty, fix wet spots in your yard and retain rain onsite, reducing stormwater runoff. ... more

A rain garden is a garden which takes advantage of rainfall and stormwater runoff in its design and plant selection. Usually, it is a small garden which is designed to withstand the extremes of moisture and concentrations of nutrients, particularly Nitrogen and Phosphorus, that are found in stormwater runoff. rain gardens are sited ideally close to the source of the runoff and serve to slow the stormwater as it travels downhill, giving the stormwater more time to infiltrate and less opportunity to gain momentum and erosive power. On the surface, a rain garden looks like an attractive garden. It may support habitat for birds and butterflies, it may be a formal landscape amenity or it may be incorporated into a larger garden as a border or as an entry feature. What makes it a rain garden is in how it gets its water and what happens to that water once it arrives in the garden. Below the surface of the garden, a number of processes are occurring which mimic the hydrologic action of a healt ... more

A rain garden is a shallow depression in the ground, natural or man made, that is designed to hold rain that would otherwise turn into polluted runoff. According to studies, many of our natural water sources are polluted with runoff that comes from roofs, lawns, and driveways. While rainwater is filled with nutrients that are good for plants, it can become contaminated as it flows along dirty roadways or through storm drains. With rain gardens, however, the rainwater soaks into the ground rather than running down streets or drains. Planting a rain garden not only helps keep water sources clean, but also benefits local wildlife, which are dependent on lakes, rivers, and streams for much of their drinking and food supply. Rain gardens are not expensive or difficult to maintain, though during periods of drought, watering may be necessary. In addition, a rain garden can be an attractive landscaping feature. A rain garden is an easy garden design to construct and doesn’t take up a lot of sp ... more

Think of a rain garden as a mini-wetland. A rain garden is a specially designed, sunken area planted with native perennials that catches stormwater runoff. ... more

A rain garden is an attractive landscaping feature planted with perennial native plants. It is a bowl-shaped or saucer-shaped garden, designed to absorb stormwater run-off from impervious surfaces such as roofs and parking lots. Rain gardens can be small, formal, home-owner style gardens, large complex bioretention gardens, or anywhere in between. Why do we need rain gardens? Rain is natural; stormwater isn't. Government studies have shown that up to 70% of the pollution in our streams, rivers and lakes is carried there by stormwater. Although most people never think about stormwater, about half of the pollution that stormwater carries comes from things we do in our yards and gardens! Planting a rain garden may seem like a small thing, but if you calculate the amount of rain that runs off your roof, you would be very surprised.That rain is supposed to soak into the ground, but instead heads down the street to the storm drain, carrying pollution with it. Keeping rain where it falls, by ... more

A rain garden is a garden with a shallow depression that captures runoff from impervious surfaces, such as rooftops, patios, driveways, and parking lots, before it enters the storm water system. Rain gardens can be customized and are limited only by the resources and time you want to put into them. They use natural processes to improve water quality by filtering pollutants and reducing the amount of stormwater runoff. The water easily infiltrates into the soil because of the deep roots of the native plants and recharges the groundwater supply. ... more

A "rain garden" is a man-made depression in the ground that is used as a landscape tool to improve water quality. The rain garden forms a "bioretention area" by collecting water runoff and storing it, permitting it be filtered and slowly absorbed by the soil. The bioretention concept is based on the hydrologic function of forest habitat, in which the forest produces a spongy litter layer that soaks up water and allows it to slowly penetrate the soil layer. The site for the rain garden should be placed strategically to intercept water runoff. A nutrient removal or "filtering" process takes place as the water comes in contact with the soil and the roots of the trees, shrubs and vegetation. This process accounts for the improved water quality. The first flush of rain water is ponded in the depression of the rain garden, and contains the highest concentration of materials washed off impervious surfaces such as roofs, roads, and parking lots. ... more