Rain Gardens

In the forest, when it rains, the ground acts like a sponge. Water is slowed down by clinging to leaves, spreading out among the grasses and leaves, and filtering down through forest floor mulch and roots of plants. Much of the water sinks down and replenishes the local ground water table. Water that gets to streams is cooler and cleaner.

But impermeable structures like roads, parking lots, and rooftops prevent rain from being slowed and filtered into the ground in a natural and healthy way.

One of the most efficient, effective, and inexpensive ways to re-establish natural water processes is a rain garden. Basically a rain garden is a man-made depression in the ground that is used as a landscape tool to help excess storm water enter the environment in a healthy and compatible way.

Rain gardens can help solve common drainage problems, reduce runoff and recharge groundwater supplies, and keep sediments and pollutants out of streams. Additionally, they attract birds and require less maintenance than a grass lawn.

Boxerwood has installed its own rain gardens (see how we did it), facilitated rain garden workshops for homeowners and landscape professionals, directed the planning of model residential rain gardens for Lexington and Rockbridge County, cooperated with the City of Lexington to write a brochure (send us an email if you would like us to send you the pdf), and assisted with planning and planting of the new community rain garden in Woods Creek Park.

Planting a rain garden
Wood Creek Restoration Day, 2007