RAIN GARDEN TIP SHEET

What is a Rain Garden?
Simply put, a rain garden is a shallow depression in your yard that is planted with native wetland or wet prairie wildflowers and grasses. This popular new type of perennial garden is strategically located to capture runoff from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways and patios. These landscaping features help create beautiful yards while absorbing
water, reducing runoff, protecting water quality and preventing flooding.

A rain garden on your property helps a great deal with preventing storm water pollution. Rain gardens can absorb hundreds of gallons of rain that would otherwise wash pollution down the street into the nearest river, stream or lake. Even small rain gardens can absorb a lot of rain water.

Where Should a Rain Garden Go?
Most home rain gardens are simply a depression in the ground, with no fancy pipes or special soil. If a depressional area is not already present, determine where the water from downspouts, driveways or other impervious surfaces flows and plan to install your rain garden where it will capture the most rainwater runoff. To help decide where to put a rain garden, consider these points:

· Before beginning any project, check homeowner association covenants, as well as local and county ordinances.  Do not work in a drainage, utility, or other easement without the proper permits.  Also call the Indiana Underground Plant Protection
Service (1-800-382-5544) to identify any buried utilities. 

· The rain garden should be at least 10 feet from the house so infiltrating water does not seep into the foundation.

· Do not place the rain garden directly over a septic system.

· It may be tempting to put the rain garden in a part of the yard where water already ponds. Don’t! The goal of the rain garden is to encourage infiltration, and your yard’s wet patches show where infiltration is slow.     

· Putting the rain garden in a flatter part of the yard will make digging much easier.  The steeper the slope, the deeper the garden must be to be level.

· If the soil is heavy (clay) and does not drain well, it may be necessary to dig down another 2 feet and back-fill with a lighter soil mix (50% sand, 20% compost,30% topsoil).  Line the area to be planted with 2 to 3 inches of shredded wood mulch, which is useful in retaining moisture for young seedlings and discouraging weed seeds from germinating.

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