Adding a rain garden

Many people don’t think of a rain garden as an element to include when planning out their landscape. Chances are on your property, you have some sort of drainage area where stormwater flows each time it rains. Rain gardens can be a great solution to help manage excess water and still preserve the beauty of your landscape.

According to the Prairie Rivers Network, a rain garden is defined as a vegetated depression specially designed to capture and use rain and snowmelt, collectively known as storm water. Rain gardens receive storm water runoff from upstream drainage areas such as roofs, driveways, and lawns. 

Rain gardens are low-tech, inexpensive, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing. 

Benefits of a rain garden:

• Filter pollutants from runoff
• Recharge groundwater
• Conserve water
• Remove standing water in your yard
• Reduce potential of home flooding
• Create habitat for birds & butterflies
• Survive drought seasons
• Reduce garden maintenance
• Enhance property value

When planning out your rain garden, it is important to note existing drainage patterns. It will be easiest to take advantage of this established drainage pattern to maximize the potential of your rain garden – take note of where current low spots are and direction of run-off. It is best to incorporate your rain garden in an area with partial to full sun and it’s best to keep the garden at least 10′ away from the house. Rain gardens for single-family homes will typically range from 150 to 400 square feet – but any size , even a small one, will contribute to solving local water pollution problems.

Incorporating a rain garden into your landscape can be your personal step to help do your part for the environment. They are an inexpensive way to do your part to help with stormwater management, protect your home/property from excess water, and have a beautiful element for your landscape. You have the facts, now get digging!