Rain gardens
Rain gardens are self-watering and easy to take care of. They’re a great tool to soak up rainwater and clean it before it goes into drains. They're filled with plants that can handle getting wet sometimes.
How rain gardens work
Rain let rainwater collect and sink into the ground through the plants and soil. They filter out dirt and pollution and ensure there's not too much rainwater flowing into the drains. Rubbish and sediment stay at the top, and the soil and plant roots clean the water. The plants will then use any nutrients dissolved in the rainwater.
Build a rain garden
Start by building the planter box or digging a trench in your yard. You might need a liner around the edges to keep things dry if it's near buildings or if the ground is too wet.
If you're building an in-ground style rain garden (including infiltration or swales):
- slope the area away from your house
- make sure heavy rainwater doesn't stay in the garden too long
- place some rocks in the right spots to help soil from washing away during heavy rain.
Keep your rain garden healthy
Try the following tips to keep your rain garden healthy:
- Use the right kind of soil that can soak up water but also lets it pass through.
- Choose plants that can handle lots of water sometimes, and not much water at other times. Native plants are best because they're used to the local weather and are easy to take care of.
- Use different types of plants to stop weeds. Keep weeding your garden until the plants have grown.
- Use gravel as mulch to lock in the water and stop it from washing away the soil.
- Make sure the water flows evenly into the garden, so it doesn't wash everything away. If it doesn't rain, water your rain garden based on your local rules until your plants have grown.
- Remember not to step on or squash your rain garden too much, otherwise it won't work as well.