Rain Gardens
2023 has had record breaking rain events in our Rochester/Finger Lakes Area. Let’s make the most of all that water! Learn how to create beautiful rain gardens with these useful tips:
  • You can create your rain garden in areas that are wet and hard to mow. Or if you don’t have a naturally wet section of your yard, you can create one by diverting rain from your roof, gutter, or even your driveway with a stormwater run-off straight into your rain garden.
  • Creating a rain garden is easier than you may think! People are often scared away when they see rain garden layouts online, often showing layers of stone drainage and special soils and mulch…it just looks too complicated! However, these plans were engineered for large commercial projects, and are unnecessary for small personal gardens.
  • Homeowners can simply create rain gardens by removing the turf in wet areas. If you need help to go to the next step with drainage, we can help you design the perfect drainage setup! Or if you like some DIY, use this example below as a guide.
 

Client, Harriet Heller asked us to design her rain garden connected to the gutter.

The drain is connected to the downspout and roof gutter.
 

The drain is under the ground, then opens up to empty into the rain garden that was created to collect the storm runoff.

Here is the same property with another rain garden at the other corner of house.

The gardens are beautiful and vibrant.

Best Rain Garden
Plants
These are some of Broccolo’s favorite rain garden native plants. They are great for sunny areas, bringing lots of colors and year round interest to your landscape.
  • Shrubs such as Button Bush and Red / Twig Dogwoods
  • Perennials such as Tall Iron Weed, Joe Pye Weed, and Milkweed to fill the middle
  • Baptisia Indigo Spires will fill a big area
  • Cardinal Flower
  • Blue lobelia
  • Marsh Marigolds are great low edge plants and one of the first to bloom in the Spring!
Contact us today to start your own rain garden!

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