Rain Gardens
A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway, or other impervious surface and allows it to soak into the ground. Planted with native grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens can be a cost effective and beautiful way to reduce runoff from your property. Rain gardens can also help filter out pollutants in runoff and provide food and shelter for butterflies, song birds and other wildlife.
Rain gardens are versatile features that can be installed in almost any unpaved space. They mimics natural hydrology by infiltrating, and evaporating and transpiring—or evapotranspiring —stormwater runoff.
Rain Garden Benefits:
- Reduces water pollution downstream
- Reduces flooding downstream
- Low maintenance, low water use
- Can increase water infiltration 30-40%
- Creates habitat in the landscape
- Beautiful landscape feature!
A few times a year the NC Cooperative Extension holds workshops on installing Rain Gardens which often includes hands on demonstrations. To see available workshops and to register for theses workshops visit the NC State University Bio & Ag Engineering Workshop and Conferences webpage. Or you can join the mailing list here to be informed of upcoming workshops.
The following links provide information on installing and maintaining rain gardens:
NC Cooperative Extension:
- Rain Gardens
- Backyard Rain Garden Manual
- Rain Garden Site Selection and Design
- Plants For Rain Gardens
- Rain Garden Plant List
- Rain Garden (video)
- Master Gardener: Rain Gardens
- Rain Garden 101 (power point)
- Transylvania Cooperative Extension-Rain Garden (video)
Other Sources:
- NC State University: Why Your Yard Might Need a Rain Garden
- UNCTV: How to Build a Rain Garden (video)
- Carolina Country: Rain Gardens
If you are interested in installing a rain garden on you property or in your neighborhood you can contact the Stormwater Division for more information at stormwater@townofcarrboro.org or 919-913-2999.
If you would like for a staff member to come to your neighborhood or organization meeting to discuss rain gardens or other Stormwater Topics you can fill out a request form here.
We are currently developing a map showing examples of rain garden in Carrboro. If you would like to be included in this map project and show off your rain garden please contact Heather Holley at hholley@townofcarrboro.org or 919-918-7426.