Click here to view the Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners

Rain gardens are attractive landscaped areas planted with perennial native plants that do not mind getting "wet feet." Build in a saucer shape, rain gardens allow water to percolate into the ground. The benefits of rain gardens are multiple. Rain gardens:

• Help keep water clean by filtering storm water runoff before it enters local waterways
• Help alleviate problems with flooding and drainage
• Enhance the beauty of yards and communities
• Provide habitat and food for wildlife like birds and butterflies

Recent studies by the US Environmental Protection Agency have shown that a substantial amount of the pollution in our streams, rivers and lakes is carried there by runoff from practices we carry out in our own yards and gardens! Some of the common "non-point source pollutants" from our yards end up in our local waterways include soil, fertilizers, pesticides, pet wastes, grass clippings and other yard debris.

Planting rain gardens is a great way to help our communities "bloom," making them more attractive places to live while maintaining watershed health!