It's been raining. A LOT. As we get into storm season, I've been thinking more about where all that storm water goes. It goes pretty much straight into the lake, taking all the street gunk, fertilizer, pesticides, and pet waste with it. That's the same water we love to play in when the weather is warmer. (Or for some heartier souls, year 'round.)
But here's the good news: There is something we can do about it! Right now! We can make more rain gardens.
What's a Rain Garden?
A rain garden is a special garden designed with particular soils and plants that love to get wet. Built to collect storm water, a rain garden should filter the water in about a day, or maybe a little longer with several days of rain. But built properly, there shouldn't be standing water. (In other words, no mosquito breeding ground!)
And there's even more good news for homeowners. As part of a well-maintained landscape, a rain garden can help boost your home's value when it's time to sell since it helps prevent flooding, may reduce maintenance cost, and create attractive, low-maintenance landscaping.
If the cost of building a rain garden is a concern, there are some options, like rallying some neighbors to build a neighborhood rain garden cluster. Some communities also offer rebates, and hopefully Mercer Island will join that list soon. Stay tuned, and keep an eye out for rain garden information at the Mercer Island farmers market and City of Mercer Island recycling events like the one coming up on October 26th! (They'll have dirt-cheap rain barrels for sale if you're looking for one of those.)
Read more here about rain gardens, their benefits, FAQs, and the 12,000 Rain Gardens in Puget Sound campaign.