Our staff wanted to gain experience building rain gardens as we encourage others to do the same. We directed rain water from half the roof the garden by an underground drain tile. The garden shape was marked out, sod removed, and created a bowl shape. We tilled the bottom of the garden and added topsoil so that it would mix. A small berm was built on the low end of the garden to hold water. Native plants were added and a layer of mulch applied on top. This was done at the beginning of summer and we watched it fill multiple times as well as the plants take off!
Steinbach Office Rain Garden
Benefits
- Collects rain water from the roof and allows it to infiltrate into the soil
- Reduces rain water entering storm drains
- Acts as a pollinator garden
- Native plants grow deep roots and use the captured water
Characteristics
- Water is directed through drain tile to the garden
- A small berm helps capture water
- Filled with native plants
- Dug as a shallow bowl and amended with topsoil
