Rain gardens are landscaped areas that capture runoff from impervious surfaces and allow water to soak into the ground. They are planted with native plants that can tolerate wet conditions. Rain gardens provide multiple benefits by helping reduce flooding, filtering pollutants from stormwater, and providing habitat for wildlife. They involve selecting a site, designing the garden shape and plant selection, preparing the site by digging and amending soil, and installing plants. Ongoing maintenance includes weeding and annual mulching.

1. Rain Gardens

2. Rain gardens are
• Attractive
• Landscaped areas shaped to capture runoff
• Planted with perennial native plants that do not
mind getting "wet feet"
• Built in a shape that allows
water to percolate
• Amazingly beneficial

3. Collect
Runoff
&
Pollution
Beautifully

4. Rain gardens
• Enhance the beauty of
yards and communities
• Provide habitat for birds
and butterflies
• Help keep water clean by
filtering storm water
• Help alleviate flooding
problems

6. Step 1: Locate
and Prepare
the Site
• Pick a site for your garden that tends to collect water
or where runoff from your driveway or downspout can
be diverted into it
• Your rain garden should be at least 10 feet away from
foundations, underground utilities, and drainfields
• You can also calculate the best spot(s) – there’s lots of
help out there!

7. For Best Results …

8. Step 2: Your
Design - Select
Your Plants!
» For best results, native plants suitable for your garden’s conditions
» Select a variety of native flowers, ferns, grasses, shrubs and small
trees that will provide color and interest throughout the season
» Group plants together for the most impact; estimate one small plant
per square foot
» Plants also provide food and habitat for birds, butterflies and bees.
• There are many Resources for Garden Design and Plants
• http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/der/riverways/pdf/raingardenfactsheet.pdf

9. A variety of
choices

10. Step 3:
Prepare
your Site
Lay out a rope or garden hose in the shape desired as a
guide for digging
Create the “saucer” contour of the garden. For best
infiltration, the bottom of the garden should be level
Dig the garden; the depth of the depression is generally
from 4 to 8” (but sometimes as much as 12”)
Introduce sand, gravel, peat, etc, that are needed to give
proper drainage
Create a swale to direct water into the garden from a
downspout or pavement

12. Step 4: Get
Out Your
Gloves and
Tools!
Amend the soil to allow the rain garden to both
evaporate and slowly drain rain waters
A roto-tiller or larger equipment may be required
Volunteers needing to fulfill scout or school
service projects may be ready and willing to assist
if you’re doing a rain garden for a school, church,
or town building!

13. Step 4:
Maintaining
Your Rain
Garden
Rain Gardens are Easy to Maintain but are not Maintenance Free
During the first two or three years water and replace plants that did
not survive, and/or rearrange plants to wetter or dryer areas if
needed.
Mulch annually to keep soil moist and allow easy infiltration of rain
water
2-3 inches of mulch every spring. Use a natural, un-dyed mulch.
Weed annually
Keep the plant community diverse and attractive, periodically clear dead vegetation and any debris

14. Opportunities Abound!
One of my favorites – center of cul de sac!

15. Opportunities -
Wherever Cars are Parked!

16. See a Garden in Massachusetts, e.g.:
• Cohasset: Water • Plymouth: Town Hall,
Treatment Plant King St.; Lincoln St.; Stephens
along Pond & Arrowood Field; Plimoth
Streets. Plantation
• Hull: Weir River Estuary • Scituate: Scituate High
Center School; Hughey Rd.
• Ipswich: IRWA, County • Wilmington: Eleven
Rd; Partridge Place gardens along Silver
• Leominster: Trustees of Lake Avenue, near Silver
Reservations, Lindell Ave. Lake Beach

17. Many Resources, here’s a few!
• http://www.greenscapes.org/Raingardens
• http://www.greenscapes.org/Page-567.html
• http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/raingarden_design/t
emplates.htm
• http://www.thejonahcenter.org/milardogarden.php
• http://www.groundwater.org/ta/raingardens.html
• http://rainkc.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.search/index.h
tm
• http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/co/maho/la/la_005.cfm
• http://learningstore.uwex.edu/Rain-Gardens-A-How-to-
Manual-for-Homeowners-P372C82.aspx
• http://www.for-wild.org/download/rainclay/rainclay.html

18. Opportunities – Adopt an Island
Rain Garden?!?