how a rain garden works
Normally when it rains, rainwater runs off of hard surfaces like streets, sidewalks, driveways, and rooftops. It picks up pollutants on these surfaces and deposits them into creeks and rivers, sources of the water we drink. Rain and snowmelt also create a "big flush" of fast-moving water that causes flooding, erodes creek banks, and increases silt. A rain garden is designed to collect such water and gently absorb it, filter its pollutants through specially selected deep-rooted plants, and drain the water before it attracts mosquitoes. A rain garden is an attractive and natural way to manage water.
Check out the rain garden we installed at the Annhurst Elementary School in Delaware. The kids thoroughly enjoyed getting their hands dirty and actually learned alot about water conservation!
