What Is A Rain Garden? 

And Why Do We Need Them?

A rain garden is really a garden planted with native flowers and grasses. Rain Gardens are designed to absorb rainwater runoff from driveways, sidewalks and the roofs of homes and other buildings.

Every time it rains or every time you water your lawn or wash your car, the water runoff goes either directly into a river, lake or ocean or through a city drainage system and eventually into the rivers, lakes and oceans.

All of the water that runs off streets, driveways and roofs ends up in the rivers, lakes and oceans, too.

So think about what's in that water runoff...it's probably chemicals from fertilizers, exhaust from cars, etc.

Instead of flowing down into storm drains, the runoff from these impervious surfaces soaks into the ground, thereby reducing the amount pollution from exhaust fumes and lawn fertilizers, etc. that eventually ends up in our lakes, rivers and oceans.

How A Rain Garden Can Help 

Here's a quote from "Land And Water" The Magazine of Natural Resource Management and Restoration in an article about rainwater gardens in Burnsville, Minnesota.

"By capturing runoff in shallow depressions and letting it soak into the ground, rainwater gardens not only lowers the peak flow, but increases the base flow of water that reaches lakes and streams, but help recharge stores of groundwater in aquifers. Moreover, they filter out sediment and other pollutants like oil, grease and heavy metals by catching about the first inch of runoff, which contains the highest concentration of pollutants.

Rainwater gardens transform stormwater from a destructive carrier of pollution into a source of sustenance for plant and wildlife habitats: the plants thrive on nitrogen and phosphorus, while their stems trap sediment."

A Beautiful Solution To Water Pollution 

First Planting 

This rain garden is in Minnesota and it's brand new. It'll catch the runoff from the road and sidewalk. Notice its shape and position. It'll be beautiful in a very short period of time.

Rain Gardens typically have more wildflowers than grasses so they're usually more colorful when they're mature. Be sure to plant the taller varieties at the back or in the center and the smaller wildflowers and sedges around the edges.

Rain Garden Links 

Native Rain Garden

This is hands down the best website I've found on the subject of rain gardens. No matter where you live in the United States, you will find everything you need at this website to plant your perfect rain garden.

Urban Home

New approaches to old challenges.

10,000 Rain Gardens

This Kansas City website is one of the best I've seen. It's got tons of information that useful no matter where you live.

Rain Garden Network | Photo Gallery

Rain Garden Network offers planning tools, installation services and education & outreach materials & services to homeowners, organizations and municipalities

Rain Garden Flowers 

There are hundreds of beautiful wildflowers that can be used in rain gardens. The best wildflowers to use are those native to your particular location.

We have all of these and many more in our Lakescape. They're fabulous for rain gardens, too.

Black Eyed Susans

Native Grass in Tucson

Purple Coneflower

Butterfly Weed

Whorled Milkweed

Royal Catchfly

Anise Hyssop

Liatrisaka; Blazing Star Button Snakeroot GayfeatherStan H...

Birds-foot

Prairie Smoke

Rain Garden Basics 

From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

1. Choose a low or wet spot in your yard where water drains naturally. The closer to the street, the better the spot. Make sure it's at least 15 feet from any home foundation to avoid basement wetness.
2. Check the soil. Sand-based soil works well. Clay-soil gardens are not recommended.
3. Use a garden hose to outline the area. Any shape is fine.
4. After checking for underground power lines and other utilities, dig a shallow depression, with the center at a depth of 12 to 18 inches, feathering out to the perimeter.
5. Dig a shallow trench from the downspout or sump pump outlet to the garden.
6. Choose native plants and cultivars that tolerate drought and occasional drenching. As a general rule of thumb, plants should be about 18 inches apart, or one plant per 2.5 square feet.
7. Mow or remove the dead vegetation each spring, or burn it off if local ordinances allow. Weed three times per growing season. (Tree seedlings are usually the most abundant weeds.)

Mulching Your Newly Planted Rain Garden 

Protecting the tiny plants

When you create a rain garden or a lakescape, it's important to protect the tiny plants after you've set them into the earth. Mulching the plants helps keep the moisture to the roots until they become strong. After the plants are established and spreading, they will need very little care.

Good Mulch and Bad Mulch 

Protect Louisiana's Cypress Forests

1. Recycled Yard Waste
2. Leaves
3. Pine Straw
4. Pine Bark Mulch
5. Eucalyptus Mulch

What Can You Do If You Live In A City? 

You can help, even if you're an apartment dweller

1. Never dump anything down a city street drain!
2. Pick up after your pets.
3. Periodically check your vehicles for leaks.
4. Always recycle your motor oil.
5. Wash your car at a car wash, not in your driveway.

Did You Know.... 

...that the average gasoline powered mower tested by the EPA emits in one hour of operation the same amount of hydrocarbons that a 1992 Ford Explorer emits over 23,600 miles?
SOURCE: Green Seal's Report

Astonishing!

Learning About Rain Gardens 

A Useful Resource

Rain Gardens: Managing Water Sustainably in the Garden and Designed Landscape

by Nigel Dunnett, Andy Clayden

Amazon Price: $23.07 (as of 08/30/2008)

Your Comments and Suggestions, Please 

Tell me what you think - good or bad, I can take it. Just be polite, please.

Thank you very much!

Jewelsofawe What a great lens. Thanks for stopping by my Being Earth Friendly lens and favoriting it and lensrolling. I am doing the same on yours. I love your lenses! Posted July 26, 2008

spirituality Very good point, and very well made. Gardens should be made in such a way that they help water go into the ground, instead of into the sewers or surface water. Posted May 19, 2008

Mac33 Cool lens! Thanks for spreading the word about rain gardens. Posted May 16, 2008

funwithtrains Nice Lens! 5 stars and a favorite from me! Please visit my Marklin Trains lens. Posted May 06, 2008

ElizabethJeanAllen What a great lens with great information! I lensrolled it to my lens on water and water pollution. Liz Posted April 27, 2008

eccles1 what a great idea! Posted April 27, 2008

Evelyn_Saenz What a great lens! 5 stars and Favored! The Purple Gallinulesloved your lens so much that they are sending you some virtual Rain Drops Posted April 25, 2008

triathlontraining Hey fellow Minnesotan! Great job on the Lens. I love the topic! Posted April 22, 2008

Susan52 Another really good one! We do have a runoff problem and I wouldn't mind having a lovely flower garden. Could solve two problems in one, right? Thanks! Posted April 20, 2008

Imogen_Crest A lens with some great ideas! Thanks for creating it! Posted April 19, 2008

 

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