Rain Garden Info & Perennials

Rain Gardens are one of the newest garden types around. Not only are they beautiful, they filter rainwater, help reduce runoff and attract wildlife like birds and butterflies!! They are easy to build and maintain, too.

A rain garden collects rain from a house’s downspout so the water doesn’t wash off into the street with pollution from the house and lawn.  The rain is absorbed by the deep rooted plants in the shallow bowl-shaped garden, preventing runoff from getting into streams and rivers.

Native plants are traditionally the way to go, however, rain gardens don’t have to look out of place in your front yard.

Northern Sunset Perennials suitable for the rain garden will have the rain garden icon on the label. We’ve listed rain garden plants for native (or casual) and formal applications separately for you.

What is a rain garden?

A rain garden is a shallow depression, usually 10”-12” deep, made specifically to collect and filter rain water. Water doesn’t stand in a rain garden, but trickles through the soil. Oil, chemicals and other pollutants are filtered and stopped by soil particles or taken up by the roots. Rain gardens are great habitat for birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects. They are not a breeding ground for mosquitoes because the water doesn’t stand long.

Where do I locate my rain garden?

• Typically your rain garden should be placed where water drains from the downspout.
• Choose a spot on a gentle slope (slanting away from the house), at least 8 feet from the house.
• Your rain garden can be incorporated into a foundation planting as long as the above applies.
• The further your rain garden is away from the house, the larger it should be, as it will be catching water from a larger area.
• Avoid areas where water already pools. Rain gardens need to drain. Use bog garden plants instead.