Rain Gardens
Fact sheets, resources, and additional instruction
A rain garden is a beautiful landscape amenity that allows you to manage and treat polluted stormwater runoff on your property, thereby protecting local waterways and Puget Sound, while also creating a habitat nook.
Do your part to help protect streams and Puget Sound while also keeping stormwater drainage away from your home. We have all the details needed to build one or more rain gardens in your yard to create a low-maintenance, attractive feature that will also provide habitat for birds and butterflies.
Rain Garden Resources
On top of our general resources, we recommend this “Catching Rain” rain garden fact sheet series from WSU Extension:
Low Impact Development
LID Stormwater Regulations
LID Development Process
Pavement Maintenance
Rain Garden Maintenance
Rain Garden Construction Checklist
Rain Garden Construction Sequencing
As well as the “Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington”, a guide to the design, installation and maintenance of rain gardens in our region.
We cover garden design, construction, planting, and care in this class on this technique that’s a practical way to take charge of your drainage and prevent flooding on your property, while also managing and treating polluted stormwater runoff that harms our local waterways.
Participants will learn about how rain gardens prevent pollution and will dive into the details for rain garden design, including:
Concerns about stormwater pollution and rain gardens as part of the solution
Other green stormwater techniques
Rain gardens planning overview: siting, sizing, planning inflow and overflow, ponding-depth considerations.
Construction overview, including sequencing and timing.
Optional content: Bioretention vs. rain gardens; soil mix options and refilling methods; building on a slope
Planting-plan principles for long-term success
Site assessment and goals
Pacific Northwest-specific/drought-tolerant plant selections
Procurement considerations
Bioretention/rain garden zones
Inspection/monitoring and maintenance
Costs and how to save money
