Build your own rain garden With simple tools, some simple calculations and a little work, you can grow a garden that lets rainwater settle down and stay close to home.
Rain garden From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia A rain garden is a planted depression that is designed to absorb rainwater runoff from impervious urban areas like roofs, driveways, walkways, and compacted lawn areas. This reduces rain runoff by allowing stormwater to soak into the ground (as opposed to flowing into storm drains and surface waters which causes erosion, water pollution, flooding, and diminished groundwater).[1] Rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30%.[citation needed]
Rain gardens or bioretention systems, were first conceived of in 1990 by stormwater specialists in the state of Maryland. Since that time, a number of people, municipalities and organizations have influenced and enhanced the rain garden movement in the United States.
Rain Garden Brochure available as a PDF file. Nice diagrams, demo pictures. From Univ. WI Extension office.
Rain GardensWell written article about rain gardens in the Grayslake area of Chicago.
Plotting to Infiltrate? Try Rain Gardens. Lorrie Stromme, Hennepin County Master Gardener short but fairly comprehensive explanation of rain garden concepts, nice diagrams. From MN extension office.
