Village of Big Bend

Rain gardens: a beautiful way for you to reduce runoff pollution!

Rain gardens, small, shallow areas filled with beautiful native plants, reduce polluted runoff from entering Wisconsin’s waters. Creating a rain garden is a great way for homeowners, schools, businesses, churches, and other organizations to help protect our lakes and streams. Rain garden plants capture 30% more water than a regular lawn and filter that water into the ground. This reduces the amount of water containing household fertilizers, pesticides, oils, and other contaminants coming from our roofs, lawns, driveways, or parking lots running into storm sewers. Rain gardens are also a delight to view and are a nice place for birds and butterflies to live.

       

There are an endless number of plant combinations possible in a rain garden. They are cheaply installed, beautiful, low-maintenance and they provide for cleaner water and a habitat for small birds, butterflies, etc.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has more information available through their website as well as through the following links:

• Rain gardens: a how-to manual
• How to build a rain garden