Who should have a rain garden?

Rain gardens are suitable for any land use situation, residential, commercial, or industrial.  Their purpose is to minimize the volume of water runoff and improve the quality of water entering conventional storm drains and nearby streams.  Each site is unique and microclimates (amount of light, temperature, and wind) as well as the size of the drainage area will influence the size of the rain garden and plant selection.

A rain garden is a garden

Remember that a rain garden is not merely a funtioning infiltration system.  Rain gardens can and should be an attractive improvement to your property.  They also tend to become wildlife oases, you can expect and should plan for songbirds, butterflies, and other visitors.  When choosing your plants, we recommend using native plant species since they are naturally adapted to wet and dry cycles and the seasons here in south central Pennsylvania and will generally require less maintenance.  Native plants can "tough it out" because they are uniquely adapted to thriving in local weather, soils, and ecosystems.  They will not require spraying with pesticides, resulting in a reduced chemical load in your yard, which is much healthier for you, your children and your pets.