What Is A Rain Garden? And How To Add One To Your Yard

Have you ever wanted to add a rain garden to your yard? For that matter, do you even know what a rain garden is? Well, here is the 411 on rain gardens and how they can benefit you and add some beauty to your property.

A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects water from roof downspouts, asphalt, or sump pump discharge and allows it to soak into the ground rather than enter the storm sewer system. Less runoff from your home means less channel erosion and fewer suspended solids and pollution in the waterways.

Also if you plant with native grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost-effective, low maintenance, and beautiful way to reduce and filter runoff from your property.

You can even create a butterfly habitat, preventing flooding, and make your lawn more attractive by installing a rain garden at your own home.

ThisOldHouse.com shows us Rain Garden 101. Follow these steps:

Find A Site That Can Absorb Water
Determine the Size and Shape
Remove the Grass
Excavate the Basin
Lay the Inlet Pipe
Fill the Basin
Add Plants
Mulch Around the Plants