03/28/2026
Every time it rains, water runs off your roof, driveway, and lawn into the storm drain.
It carries:
→ Fertilizer → algae blooms that suffocate fish
→ Pesticides → kill aquatic insects and amphibians
→ Motor oil → toxic to everything
→ Dog waste → bacteria and parasites
→ Sediment → smothers stream habitats
ALL of it goes to your local creek. UNTREATED.
A rain garden catches that water and CLEANS it.
WHAT IT IS:
→ A shallow depression (6-12 inches deep) planted with native plants
→ Positioned to collect runoff from your roof downspout or driveway
→ Water soaks into the ground through plant roots and soil biology
→ The garden filters pollutants naturally
WHAT IT COSTS:
→ DIY: $100-300 for a small one
→ Professional install: $500-1,500
→ Maintenance: almost nothing (native plants are self-sustaining)
WHAT IT DOES:
→ Captures 90% of rooftop runoff
→ Filters pollutants before they reach waterways
→ Reduces flooding (absorbs water that would otherwise flow to storm drains)
→ Provides habitat for butterflies, bees, frogs, and songbirds
→ Looks beautiful when planted with native wildflowers
BEST NATIVE PLANTS FOR RAIN GARDENS:
→ Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) — hummingbird magnet
→ Blue flag iris — stunning spring blooms
→ Switchgrass — architectural, bird food in fall
→ Joe-Pye w**d — monarch and butterfly favorite
→ Sedges — year-round habitat structure
Your local creek is dying slowly from a thousand small runoffs.
A rain garden turns yours into clean water.
$300. One weekend. Your creek for a lifetime. 💧
