What? Rain gardens are shallow, bowl-shaped gardens designed to collect and filter water from your roof, driveway, or other impervious surfaces. Rain gardens can be shaped and sized to fit your yard, are filled with a rich layer of mulch and compost to help water soak in, and are landscaped with a variety of plants that fit your yard, sun, and soil.
Considerations:
- Your property needs a fairly level yard with a slope less than 5%. Rain gardens should also be located at least 50 feet away from steep slopes to reduce landslide hazard.
- Rain gardens should be at least 10 feet from your house foundation.
- Rain gardens need well-draining soil to function properly. This can sometimes require removing your existing soil and replacing it with a specialized rain garden soil mixture.
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