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Rain Gardens: Rain Gardens

You can help preserve vital water resources by growing a native-plant garden. Consider “slowing the flow” in your yard to reduce stormwater runoff and erosion.

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Rain Gardens

Why Plant a Rain Garden?

Rain gardens have many benefits for communities in developed areas that can experience stormwater runoff due to paved surfaces. In addition to creating a low-maintenance garden in place of a traditional lawn, installing a rain garden can help

  • Increase the amount of water that stays in local and regional aquifers.
  • Decrease the chance of flooding damaging your property.
  • Filter out pollutants that are picked up by storm water and could end up in drinking water.
  • Provide habitat and food for local wildlife and insects.

When exploring if a rain garden is right for your yard, keep the following in mind:

  • Soil: Determine if you have the right soil. Soils that drain too slowly won't be an effective rain garden
  • Placement: try to place the rain garden along a slope where it can catch the most runoff from your home or other paved/impermeable areas
  • Depth: Typical rain gardens are anywhere from 4-8 inches deep.
  • Shape: Most rain gardens have a naturalistic appearance. Try to keep the longer length of the of rain garden shape running perpendicular to the water entering the rain garden.
  • Design: Use plants that bloom at different times so that you can enjoy a longer flowering season. A longer flowering season will also help support the insects and birds! Try to choose plants that have different textures, shapes and heights to keep it visually interesting.

Recommended Plants for Rain Gardens

Find information about these plants using the Mt. Cuba Center Native Plant Finder or the Native Plants Database from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Native Perennials

Botanical Name       Common Name                   
Amsonia ciliata downy blue star
Aquilegia canadense  columbine
Arisaema triphyllum Jack-in-the-pulpit
Asclepias incarnata  swamp milkweed
Aster novae-angliae  New England aster
Baptisia sp. false indigo

Lobelia cardinalis

 cardinal flower

Iris cristata

 dwarf crested iris
Gillenia trifoliate  Bowman’s root
Helianthus angulstifolius swamp sunflower
Hibiscus moscheutos  marsh mallow
Meehania cordata Meehan’s mint
Osmunda regalis   royal fern
Osmunda cinnamomea cinnamon fern
Panicum virgatum switchgrass
Phlox paniculata   garden phlox
Rudbeckia fulgida black-eyed Susan
Monarda didyma beebalm
Solidago rugosa goldenrod
Spiranthes cernua   nodding lady’s tresses
Stylophorum diphyllum celandine poppy
Tradescantia x andersoniana Virginia spiderwort
Vernonia noveboracensis common ironweed
Veronicastrum virginicum Culver’s root

 

Native Grasses

Botanical Name       Common Name                   
Sorghastram nutans   Indian grass
Spartina pectinata   cord grass
Andropogon virginicus broom sedge
Rushes Juncus spp. common rush
Carex spp. sedge grass
Panicum virgatum switchgrass

 

Native Shrubs

Botanical Name       Common Name                   
Itea virginica Virginia sweetspire
Cephalanthus occidentalis     buttonbush
Clethra alnifolia   sweet pepperbush
Cornus amomum silky dogwood   
Cornus sanguinea bloodtwig dogwood
Fothergilla gardenii  dwarf fothergilla
Ilex glabra  inkberry holly
Ilex verticillata winterberry holly
Lindera benzoin  spicebush
Sambucus canadensis American elderberry
Viburnum dentatum


arrowwood
Callicarpa americana American beautyberry

 

Native Trees

Botanical Name       Common Name                   
Chamaecyparis thyoides  Atlantic white cedar
Taxodium distichum  bald cypress
Nyssa sylvatica black gum
Halesia tetraptera Carolina silverbell
Diospyros virginicus common persimmon 
Cercis canadensis eastern redbud 
Fraxinus pennsylvanica green ash
Celtis occidentalis hackberry
Carpinus caroliniana  hornbeam
Acer rubrum red maple
Betula nigra river birch
Quercus bicolor Swamp White Oak 
Magnolia virginiana sweetbay magnolia 
Hamamelis virginiana witch hazel