June 17, 2026 A Deep Dive into Rain Gardens Across the Twin Cities metro, communities like Minneapolis, White Bear Lake, and Plymouth have embraced large-scale rain garden projects to manage their stormwater in smarter, more sustainable ways. The most effective rain gardens use native plants, which yield the greatest benefits in capturing and filtering runoff, reducing flooding, and creating habitat for pollinators, all while adding natural beauty to the landscape. So how exactly do rain gardens work? And could they be the perfect restoration for your own yard? What are the benefits of rain gardens? First, let’s establish what we’re talking about here. A rain garden is a low-lying planted area that collects stormwater run-off from nearby hard surfaces like roads, roofs, sidewalks, parking lots, and driveways, and helps water soak into the ground, or infiltrate. In traditional stormwater management systems, water runoff picks up the debris and pollutants present on hard surfaces and washes them directly into our stormwater drainage pipes. The pipes then dump all of this dirty water into lakes, rivers, and ponds, usually untreated (pretty gross, right?). Rain gardens interrupt that cycle. Rain gardens intercept stormwater runoff and encourage this water to soak slowly into the ground. This reduces flooding and helps to decrease pollutants entering our lakes and rivers. Some, but not all, rain gardens feature native plants. Native plants yield the greatest benefits due to their deep root systems, which help prevent erosion, promote water infiltration, and filter out pollutants. Plus, they are well adapted to varying seasonal conditions like drought and heavy rain. If all of that isn’t enough to convince you, rain gardens that feature native plants provide visual interest through their diverse colors and textures, and offer valuable habitat to pollinators and birds. Is a rain garden right for my yard? Despite their popularity as a tool for addressing stormwater runoff on roadways, rain gardens aren’t only for roadsides. They also can be strategically placed to treat runoff from roofs, driveways, gutters, and sidewalks. If you have an area of your yard that has a great deal of run-off during heavy rain or snow melt events, a rain garden could be a great option for you. Rain gardens require porous soil for effective water infiltration and drainage. There are tools called infiltrometers that measure the rate at which water moves into the soil. Certain cities or watershed districts may be willing to lend them out if you contact them. Or for a fun DIY experiment you can test it yourself. To see if your soil is appropriate for a rain garden, dig a wide hole that is ten inches deep and fill it up with water. After 48 hours, if the water has drained, then it is good soil for a rain garden. You can test multiple spots in your yard if the first spot fails this test. How to create a rain garden Rain gardens require careful planning to work well and last for years to come. For the best results, we recommend consulting a professional for design and installation assistance, but here is a brief overview to help you start imagining what’s possible. Heck, it’s fun to sit back and dream a little. Start with the right location Location is everything when planning your rain garden. Take a look outside during a rain storm and watch how the water flows across your yard. Rain gardens should be placed where runoff naturally flows and in a relatively flat or low area where water can collect and soak in. Be sure your rain garden is: At least ten feet away from buildings (to protect foundations and basements) At least 35 feet away from a septic system drain field At least 150 feet away from a drinking water well (if using pesticide or fertilizer) Decide on size and shape Most residential rain gardens are around 100-300 square feet, but they can be bigger depending on your space and drainage needs. Popular shapes for a rain garden include crescent, kidney, and teardrop. These curved, natural forms blend beautifully into the landscape. Choosing the right plants Native plants are really the heart of any good rain garden. The most successful species tolerate both wet and dry conditions, since rain gardens cycle between holding water and drying out. Different sections of a rain garden experience different levels of moisture. The bottom of the garden usually supports mesic to wet species, while the sides of the basin are suitable for short grass prairie species. Some plant species that we’ve had great success with include: Bottom: Meadow blazing star (Liatris ligulistylis) Swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) Fox sedge (Carex vulpinoidea) Blue flag iris (Iris versicolor) Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) Sides: Little bluestem Side oats grama Horsemint (Monarda punctata) Plains oval sedge (Carex brevior) Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) Rain garden grants and support There are many grant resources throughout the Twin Cities metro that can help you pay for a rain garden installation in your yard or community. Check out these: The Lawn to Legumes Individual Support Grant offers cost-shares for small-scale native plant restorations, including rain gardens, throughout the state of Minnesota. Hennepin County’s Good Steward Grant can cover up to 75% of the total cost of a project. Carver County Water Management Organization offers grants for improving water quality, covering up to 75% of costs for a maximum amount of $5,000. Ramsey-Washington Metro Watershed District offers various grants to assist in rain garden installation and maintenance. Rice Creek Watershed District runs the Mini-Grant program that offers up to $500, and the Water Quality grant program offers up to $10,000. These grants cover various types of restoration projects, including rain gardens. The Lower Minnesota River Watershed District offers cost-share grants for restoration projects like rain gardens of up to $2,500 for residential projects, $7,500 for home or lake association projects, and $20,000 for commercial or non-profit projects. The Capitol Region Watershed District, encompassing portions of Saint Paul, Falcon Heights, Maplewood, Roseville, and Lauderdale, offers several cost-share grants for both rain garden installation and maintenance. Nine Mile Creek Watershed District offers grants for residential habitat restoration projects of up to $3,750 with a required 25% match from the applicant. Rain gardens may be small, but their benefits are immense. From offering food and habitat to pollinators, to filtering out pollutants from stormwater, and providing stunning aesthetic value to the landscape. Ecological restoration enables you to transform that soggy patch of lawn in your yard into a pocket oasis of native plants. Though we at Natural Shore don’t install rain gardens, we do supply them with plants grown in our greenhouse (pesticide-free, of course), as well as maintain them. If you need plants or maintenance services for your rain garden, look no further– contact us today! We offer over 100 different Minnesota plant species to create your own special natural area. Or, if you are looking to install a prairie, woodland, shoreline, or wetland, our design and installation teams can provide you with expert service.
