What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is a beautiful and effective way to clean polluted stormwater runoff, acting like a miniature native forest by collecting, absorbing, and filtering stormwater runoff from roof tops, driveways, patios, and other areas that don’t allow water to soak in.
They can be built at several scales and one may be just right for your home or neighborhood.
Rain Gardens are simply shallow depressions that:
- Can be shaped and sized to fit your yard.
- Use a special mix of sand and compost that allow water to soak in rapidly and supports healthy plant growth.
- Can be landscaped with a variety of plants to fit the surroundings.
Why do we need rain gardens?
Stormwater is nothing but rainfall after it falls on the earth’s surface and travels across the landscape to a nearby stream or other water body. In landscapes that have been altered by humans, this stormwater picks up everything we humans leave behind – things like oil and gas, heavy metals, fertilizers, and animal waste.
Scientists have confirmed that stormwater is harmful to humans, animals, and fish that come in contact with it. Eventually stormwater makes its way to Puget Sound impairing the Sound’s water quality, impacting our shellfish and fisheries industry, and limiting recreational opportunities.
WSU research and experiments have shown that stormwater collected from highways around Puget Sound is lethal to fish. However, when that same stormwater was filtered through a special rain garden soil mix – the fish lived. Rain gardens can be a important tool in limiting the amount of contaminated water reaching our streams and Puget Sound.
How to build a rain garden
Congratulations for thinking of building a rain garden! A great first step is to watch this 5-minute video: Building a Rain Garden in the City and learn why, where and how to build a rain garden. Next, download the free Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington. This handbook will help you design, install and maintain your rain garden. Be sure to review where and where not to build your garden – not every place is suitable! Check out the four-module comprehensive rain garden training program developed for homeowners by the WA Stormwater Center and WSU Extension. Also, see a plant list specially made for the Eastern North Olympic Peninsula, available HERE.
Rain gardens in Jefferson County
Chetzemoka Park & 1st Security Bank
Thanks to the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee who helped fund and build numerous rain gardens throughout East Jefferson County, in partnership with many local organizations and community volunteers. Here is a listing of many of those rain gardens.
45 students learned about train gardens and did some final planting and mulching.
Here is an article from the Peninsula Daily News a related to this work.
View the Port Townsend Leader Article about raingardens by the Jefferson County Courthouse, one by the Trinity Methodist Church, and two by Garfield and Madison Streets.
See our Gallery of Photos for more pictures!
More resources
We want your garden to be successful, beautiful, and function well. Here’s additional help:
Explore the Rural Stormwater website for solving problems of standing water, minor flooding, and poor drainage in rural areas.
12000 Rain Gardens website presented by Stewardship Partners for comprehensive rain garden info.
Video: Building a Rain Garden in the Pacific Northwest – A 32-minute video detailing how to build a rain garden.
Other WSU Rain Garden Publications and Resources.
Register your rain garden
Finally, once you’ve built your rain garden, visit the 12000 Rain Gardens website to register your rain garden. Be sure to check out the interactive map!