Rain Gardens & Native Landscapes
If you have the option to manage your own landscaping, rain gardens or a grassy swale are excellent water-conserving options, in place of a traditional lawn. Rain gardens prevent excessive water use because they are made up of native shrubs and grasses with deep roots that retain and access water more effectively than short lawn grass. Therefore, they only need water once in a while to be healthy (typically during regular precipitation events). Replacing lawn areas with native species of trees and shrubs, as well as more tolerant grasses such as meadow grasses and wild flowers, can greatly reduce water needs. These plants are already well-adapted to Michigan’s climate, and therefore rarely need additional watering.
Resources on starting your own rain garden
pdf Rain Gardens: A How to Guide (3.19 MB)
pdf Brochure - Why do you need a rain garden? (788 KB)
pdf Rain Garden Brochure (Spanish) (785 KB)
pdf Rain Garden Fact Sheet (3.23 MB)
Interested in having your yard assessed for rain garden placement at no cost to you?
The ODC Network conducts free assessments to determine the best location for rain garden/s in yards. Fill out their Google Form to request a site assessment.
Contact: kelly@outdoordiscovery.org