Rain Gardens
A rain garden is a landscaped area planted to wild flowers and other native vegetation that soaks up rain water, mainly from the roof of a house or other building. The rain garden fills with a few inches of water after a storm and the water slowly filters into the ground rather than running off to a storm drain. Compared to a conventional patch of lawn, a rain garden allows more water to soak into the ground.
By building a rain garden at your home, you can play a valuable role in changing these trends.
Environmental Benefits:
- Increase the amount of water that filters into the ground, which recharges local and regional aquifers
- Help protect communities from flooding and drainage problems
- Help 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
- Enhance the beauty of yards and neighborhoods
- Provide valuable habitat for birds, butterflies and many beneficial insects
For more information on rain gardens go to: http://planning.westchestergov.com/rain-gardens
Infographic from the Tip of the Mitt Watershed Council:
http://www.watershedcouncil.org/learn/rain-gardens/
