By Lynette L. Walther
Summer showers and tropical systems have a way of adding up. And given the amount of rain we receive seasonally, during certain months some yards may look more like swamps than gardens. But all good things do come to an end, and with the eventual transition to our dry season, now is a great time to consider a garden that collects rainwater. Savvy gardeners are banking that precious resource — rainwater — with the establishment of rain gardens.
A rain garden is a feature that captures stormwater runoff and puts it back into the ground rather than allowing it to run into drain systems or into waterways. These often artful spaces can cut down on erosion and waterway pollution, and help replenish groundwater. Given the consequences we’ve already witnessed in connection with climate change, wild swings in our climate resulting in too much or too little rain has homeowners and even city planners looking at these environmentally conscious landscapes to prepare for an uncertain future.
A number of municipalities have seen the benefits of rain gardens as urban stormwater treatment mechanisms. The concept is
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