What Is a Rain Garden?
A rain garden is a shallow planted basin that soaks up roof and yard runoff. Here's how it works, where to put it and how to size it.
Category
Rain Gardens & Stormwater
Not all water has to be piped off the property. This section covers rain gardens, vegetated swales and stormwater-friendly landscaping that slow, spread and soak in runoff — an approach that can complement drainage while easing pressure on the yard and public systems.
In this cluster
- What a rain garden does
- Siting & sizing basics
- Swales & bioretention
- Soil & infiltration
- Plant selection principles
- Rain gardens vs dry wells
- Local stormwater rules
Guides
Rain Gardens & Stormwater articles
How to Size a Rain Garden
How to size a rain garden the right way — match it to the roof or yard area feeding it, test how fast your soil drains, and keep it shallow enough to empty in a day or two.
Rain Garden Plants and Zones
How to plant a rain garden in zones — flood-tolerant species in the wet center, drier-preference plants at the edges, and deep-rooted regional natives throughout that survive both ponding and drought.
Rain Garden vs Dry Well
Rain garden vs dry well — one infiltrates runoff through a planted surface basin, the other underground and out of sight. Compare habitat, space, maintenance, and clog visibility to choose.
Rain Barrels Explained
How rain barrels work, what they actually do for runoff and watering, and their real limits — fast fill-up, overflow that must go away from the foundation, mosquitoes, and winter draining.
Rain Garden Placement and Common Mistakes
How to site a rain garden — safely away from the foundation, downhill of the water source, clear of septic and utilities, and off heavy clay.
How to Build a Rain Garden
A step-by-step, homeowner-friendly guide to building a rain garden, from the percolation check to the overflow path, with a build table and common mistakes.
Rain Garden Soil and Drainage
Why soil decides whether a rain garden works, how to run a percolation test, how to amend clay, and when a spot simply will not drain.
Rain Garden Maintenance
What it takes to keep a rain garden working, from establishment weeding to clearing the inlet and overflow, with a seasonal task table and common mistakes.