Rain Garden Benefits

Benefits of a rain garden
As storms become heavier in many parts of the world our urban areas in particular are struggling to cope with the extra rainwater runoff this brings, in particular from roofs, driveways, patios, terraces and other hard standing areas. Traditional drainage solutions are no longer enough on their own. And it’s not just the additional water and subsequent flooding that is the problem. As the water runs off these man-made structures it collects large amounts of pollutants and carries them into our water system as the water drains away. Rain gardens can help prevent this my acting as a natural filter and by slowing the whole process down to a more manageable level.

Prevent or Delay stormwater runoff

Rain gardens provide an escape for excess water to use. The basin design of a rain garden holds the excess water, delaying its impact on local drain and water services during the worst of any significant storms or wet weather.

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Flood Prevention

Properly positioned (at least 3m from the property it is serving) A Rain Garden can provide a reservoir for water that would otherwise be collecting or infiltrating the immediate area of the property and its foundations.

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Pollution Control

Stormwater runoff flows over the ground surface, especially on paved areas like roads, driveways, and rooftops. It carries pollutants, including toxins, which can harm water quality and ecosystems. Rain gardens, with their absorbent plants and deep root systems, act as natural drainage solutions, filtering out chemicals and sediments from stormwater.

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Help Biodiversity

Rain Gardens are the perfect environment for a range of wildlife that might not normally frequent the area in large numbers.  These can include:

  • Bees
  • Butterflies
  • Dragonflies
  • Frogs
  • Toads
  • Soil-improving microorganisms

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Groundwater Recharge

While excess water is held in the Rain Garden rather than being allowed to race away with the storm water, large amounts of it drain back into the soil “recharging” or refilling depleted water sources and aquifers in the area. As weather extremes, including hot spells and drought, become more common rain gardens will become vital in this role.

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Reduced Soil Erosion

As large amounts of stormwater flow into existing waterways, streams and other drainage areas, the force and weight of the water can wash large areas of the surrounding soil and banking away and can even impact urban drainage structures supporting the waterways. By slowing and even removing some of the storm water these erosion effects are mitigated.

The Urban Greening Company are experts in the full range of urban greening Solutions and systems

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For information on our Urban Greening Services click here
Or please contact us if you have a project or installation you would like to talk to us about. We are always happy to discuss your plans with you without obligation.
Rain garden benefits for city flood mitigation
The incremental expansion of natural and man-made permeable surfaces, sometimes called low-impact development or sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), is now widely accepted as an effective, low-cost way to slow and manage stormwater. It should be a core pillar of every flash flood-prone city’s adaptation strategy.
C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group,
C40 Knowledge Hub
Rain Gardens
New York City estimated that blending green infrastructure with grey would reduce the cost of upgrading the city’s stormwater system and controlling combined sewer overflows from US$ 6.8 billion to US$ 5.3 billion over 20 years.
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Copenhagen’s review of the economics of cloudburst and stormwater management found that using surface solutions that retain and drain water, in conjunction with the traditional solution of expanding the underground sewer network, would deliver a net benefit of DKK 5 billion compared with a net cost of DKK 4 billion for sewer expansion alone.
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London’s transport strategy includes an annual target of adapting 50,000m of impermeable surface to drain into SuDS