Rain Gardens & Native Plants

Why Install Rain Gardens?

• Rain gardens provide several ecological benefits. Benefits include improving water quality by allowing water to infiltrate and filter through the soil, aiding the control of storm water runoff and creating a unique habitat for beneficial insects and wildlife. The water that passes through these specialty gardens is less polluted and recharges the diminishing supply of groundwater, rather than ending up in streams and bodies of water untreated.

Why Use Native Plants?

• Native plants and rain gardens go hand in hand because of the hardiness native plants have established in response to a particular environment. Through thousands of years, native plants have developed characteristics that are best suited to local microclimates, soils and hydrology. In addition, the root system of native plants is deeper and more expansive, providing more surface area for water filtration and allowing the plants to reach deeper for water in times of drought.

Considerations

• A few basics to consider when installing a rain garden include proper siting, soil types, existing drainage patterns, proximity to houses and buildings, sun and shade patterns and topography. The rain garden should be in a well-draining area to allow water to properly infiltrate soil, at least 10 feet from houses or buildings and in a sunny to partially sunny location. The rain garden itself is a shallow depression with the sides slightly higher than the flat bottom. Water should flow toward the rain garden from other areas of the property or downspouts. In the event of a large storm, an outlet for overflowing water is advisable.

Maintenance

• After the installation of the rain garden, the plants need one to two years to become well rooted. If rainfall is not adequate, plants should be watered at least twice per week to ensure good root development. In addition, weeds should be kept at bay by hand pulling. Once the rain garden is established, maintenance is minimal and consists primarily of trimming plants and cutting back small shrubs.