How to make a Rain Garden

Benefits of a Rain Garden

Building a rain garden is a simple way to help the environment and the health of our local waterways

• Slow down the amount of stormwater entering our rivers and creeks to help reduce the amount of erosion 

• It can clean the water before it gets to the Merri River
• It is a great habitat for small insects and native animals 
• A rain garden is a natural filter for stormwater

Materials 

Rocks

Weed matting (used a fertilizer for plants)

Plants 

Pegs 

Edging wood (optional and if curved, make sure the wood is bendy)

Edging pegs (optional)

Shovel

Procedure

Step one: 

Locate the surface that will be best suited for the rain garden. You can do this by looking for places around your home where water pools during heavy rain. 

Step two:

Prep the surface by removing weeds and grass, then dig the area, approximately 10cm deep.

Step three:

Lay out the weed matting on top of the dirt and make sure you hammer down the weed mating with the pegs to guarantee it doesn't move.

Step four:

Place the rocks if you would like them in whatever formation you would like.

Step five:

Create a small cross in the weed matting and underneath dig out a hole that will fit your plants. Massage the end of your plants where the roots end and cover the ends with dirt in the ground so then it can continue to grow.

(optional) Step Six:

Place the edging on the sides and use the edging pegs to keep the edging in place.