Rain Gardens

Yesterday, Professor Eckert talked with us about the importance of limiting the pollution entering the Barrington Headwaters. He suggested our guide tell new landowners not to dump animal or yard waste into the woods. He also told us about the pollutants rain water and runoff can carry into water sources.

As we worked on our landowner guide today, Caitlin began to design a model landscape with a rain garden in the back corner. A rain garden is a shallow depression (four to eight inches deep) that captures rain water and allows it to infiltrate the soil, filtering the pollutants before they enter the waterways.

The plants in and around the rain garden help to filter the water. There are many plant species that are suitable for rain garden environments. Here are just a few....

cranberry bushes
winterberry
ferns
asters
daylilies
bee balm
black eyed susans

This is such a relatively simple and attractive way to help keep our water systems clean. We hope the new Barrington landowners (and others!) give it a try.