Rain Gardens: A How-to Manual For Homeowners

Native perennial flowering plants grown in a shallow depression recharge groundwater supplies and reduce pollutants washing into lakes and streams. You'll find detailed garden plans in Rain Gardens: A How-to Manual for Homeowners.

By reducing stormwater runoff, rain gardens can be a valuable part of changing these trends. While an individual rain garden may seem like a small thing, collectively they produce substantial neighborhood and community environmental benefits. Rain gardens work for us in several ways:
. Increasing the amount of water that filters into the ground, which recharges local and regional aquifers;
. Helping protect communities from flooding and drainage problems;
. Helping protect streams and lakes from pollutants carried by urban stormwater – lawn fertilizers and pesticides, oil and other fluids that leak from cars, and numerous harmful substances that wash off roofs and paved areas;
. Enhancing the beauty of yards and neighborhoods;
. Providing valuable habitat for birds, butterflies and many beneficial insect