Right As Rain Gardens | The Beauty of Designing with Nature

Households and communities are increasingly turning to sustainable landscaping for a cost-effective and eco-conscious way to beautify their neighborhoods. Sloped and populated with native plants, rain gardens are an attractive and effective tool for managing runoff in residential areas. All levels of precipitation can benefit, making this addition feasible in any garden climate.

Rain gardens are classified as a low-impact development (LID), meaning they minimize runoff and its associated pollutants close to the source. Native shrubs, grasses, and flowers with long roots are densely planted atop layers of mulch, soil, and sand or gravel. Built on a natural slope or dug as a shallow basin, rain gardens use engineering, soil composition, and native plants to slowly disperse the stormwater and filter out pollutants.

As stormwater runs off roofs, sidewalks, and streets, it picks up contaminants like oil and bacteria and even chemicals like asbestos and lead. When left untreated, runoff brings these pollutants into our water table and drinking water. Through processes like absorption and nutrient cycling, the soil and plants of the rain garden help remove these contaminants (up to 65 to 90 percent, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

A rain garden’s gentle slope collects runoff in a pool, or pond, that steadily dissipates. Particularly in residential areas prone to flooding, rain gardens can be a vital preventative measure, reducing the burden on storm and sewer drains. And because of the design of the gardens, standing water—and unwelcome visitors like mosquitos that come with it—shouldn’t be a problem. Rain gardens are meant to temporarily hold and filter extra runoff, not collect and store it.

Visitors of a more welcome variety, however, like butterflies and birds, flock to the native habitat created by the garden. The hardiness of native plants, coupled with the appearance of pollinators, leads to less maintenance over time as the vegetation matures.

Another benefit? You don’t need expensive materials or weeks of free time to bring a rain garden to life. It’s a project that could easily be done in a weekend with neighbors or in communal spaces like parks, streets, or schools. Just plan ahead and don’t save this one for a rainy day.

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Design Your Own

Follow the land’s natural drainage pattern, staying at least ten feet from any buildings and maintaining a slope of less than 12 percent. Make sure the water table is at least two feet away from the surface of your garden and try for partial to full sun. As with any improvement project, it’s always a good idea to check with your local planning department to identify specific requirements.

Identify the composition of your soil with a quick ribbon test and measure how fast water moves through the soil with an infiltration test. Lingering water means you’ll need to amend your soil with organic material like peat moss or compost.

Once you’ve called (or clicked) for utility locates, it’s time to start construction. Aim for square footage that’s around 20 percent the size of the area draining into it. Keep the depth of the garden around six to eight inches and the bottom of the garden as level as possible for even drainage.

For information on native plants by region, visit the North American Native Plant Society’s website: www.nanps.org/native-plant-societies or stop by your local nursery.

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