Your personal goals will help guide your rainscaping choices. Which of these would you like to accomplish?
Help solve a drainage problem. Whether its controlling soil erosion, drying a wet basement, addressing hard-to-plant steep slopes, or creating gardens in poorly drained wet sites, the right landscaping in the right places can help make drainage problems go away.
Increase biodiversity and wildlife habitat. Do you like seeing hummingbirds or butterflies in your yard? Prioritizing native plants in your rainscaping palette creates habitat for wildlife. The native plants and wildlife of our region evolved together and are interdependent for survival.
Increase property values. Whether you are solving a drainage problem or adding aesthetic appeal, property values typically improve with the addition of appropriate landscape choices. Redesigning your yard is the rare homeowner investment whose value can be expected to increase over time as your plantings mature.
Contribute towards clean water. Reducing the volume and velocity of stormwater runoff has a direct, positive impact on creating clean water in area streams.
Conserve soil. Rainscaping stabilizes soil. Soil conservation can be realized as the amount of soil lost to erosion is reduced.
Enhance mental well-being. Replacing mowed turf with more diverse plantings that also have high ornamental value can increase the beauty, aesthetic appeal, and enjoyment of your yard. As an additional benefit, some individuals may prefer gardening to mowing as a mental health activity.
Reduce watering needs. Select native plants that are well-adapted, hardy and grow reliably in our region.
Reduce air pollution. More rainscaping means less turf grass mowing. Lawn mowers are a significant contributor to increased summer ozone pollution levels.
Provide educational opportunities. In many cases, such as front yards, schools and churches, rainscaping provides educational opportunities for demonstrating principles of solid environmental stewardship.