Back to the Stormwater ESP Program Main Page

---

Rain Gardens

Rain gardens are a beautiful, functional way to improve drainage on your property. Rain gardens not only reduce localized flooding but can also enhance the aesthetic appeal of your yard or neighborhood. By capturing and infiltrating stormwater, rain gardens help to slow down and filter pollutants from surface runoff coming from rooftops, driveways or other impervious surfaces. In this way, rain gardens enrich the health and scenic integrity of our streams here in East Tennessee.

Rain gardens are a landscaping amenity and often add not only beauty, but also value to a property. By populating your rain garden with native shrubs and flowers, you will attract local pollinators and wildlife that use native plants for food sources and habitat. Natives will generally tolerate local climate conditions better than non-native species and can be selected for your specific site conditions (shady v. sunny; water-loving v. water-averse).