Building a Rain Garden

Superior Landscaping Ltd.

A New Rain Garden

“Raingardens arebeauty. Raingardens are
color. Raingardens are serenity. Butmore than
anything, raingardens areanexampleof nature.”
 
What is a Rain Garden?
A Rain Garden is a shallow depression in a yard, planted with a
variety of deep-rooted native flowers, shrubs and grasses that “don’t
mind getting their feet wet”. The garden is designed to collect and
hold rainwater from downspouts, driveways, and sidewalks for a short
time, allowing the water to slowly seep back into the ground. When
planted with the right types of plants, rain gardens also attract birds,
butterflies and other wildlife.
 
How Do Rain Gardens Work? A Rain Garden receives water from impervious (hard) surfaces such as rooftops, sidewalks, driveways and patios. The shallow depression of the garden holds the water so it can slowly infiltrate back into the soil as the plants, mulch and soil naturally remove pollutants from the runoff. Many pollutants will be filtered out and break down in the soil over time. By capturing storm water, Rain Gardens reduce the amount of runoff pollutants collected and flowing into stormdrains and out to our nearby streams, rivers and lakes.
 
Where Are The Best Places to Locate a Rain Garden? Rain Gardens are best located in natural depressions or low lying areas where water flows naturally from a downspout, driveway, patio or sidewalk. Typically, rain gardens should be placed at least 10 feet away from foundations to prevent flooding problems. It is not recommended that Rain Gardens are planted over a septic system, close to foundations or where the seasonal high water table is within 15 cm of the soil surface.