Protect Water Resources with a Beautiful Rain Garden

Rain gardens create beautiful landscapes while protecting a precious resource. They celebrate natural processes, constantly changing—filling during storms, then subsiding. Their varying states nurture diverse plants and wildlife.

In pristine environments, rainfall is absorbed by plants or ground, recharging streams and groundwater. Rain gardens enhance this, increasing infiltration and breaking down contaminants, keeping them out of waterways.

What Does a Rain Garden Do?

In urban areas, impervious surfaces (paving, rooftops) prevent rainwater from entering the ground, so it's collected and discharged. Increased runoff causes erosion and water degradation, often carrying biological contamination (fertilizer, pet waste, oils). Conveying and treating this runoff is costly, so many utilities offer incentives for homeowners who build rain gardens to reduce runoff.

Choosing a Location

Look for existing low points at least 10 feet from property lines and houses, but near the impervious surface causing runoff. Size depends on local rainfall, tributary area, and soil type. Poorly draining soils can be amended with mulch, acting like a giant sponge.

Rain gardens fill during/after storms; water percolates and dissipates via evapotranspiration (evaporation + plant moisture release). Plan for overflow discharge away from buildings. Seasonal pools are a good solution—valuable habitat for amphibians, drying in summer so no mosquitoes.

Planning Your Garden

Rain gardens come in all sizes. Choose a variety of plants for different zones: lowest points stay wet longer. Native plants tolerating both occasional flooding and dry periods are ideal. City and state cooperative extensions offer great resources (e.g., Seattle Public Utilities Rainwise Program).

Incorporating Style

Disconnect roof downspouts to keep clean runoff out of sewers. Rain chains manage and celebrate rainfall, adding visual interest. Rock-lined channels move water from house to garden. Rain gardens soften formal landscapes or transition to natural areas. Choose plants that enhance your backyard and create a cohesive look.

Do you have a rain garden? We'd love to see it—post a photo below!

More:
See architecture designs that save rain
More guides to landscape design