Rain Gardens

What is a Rain Garden? 

Rain gardens are strategically designed and built to collect and manage stormwater. They can be adapted for all shapes and sizes of properties and add a lovely landscape amenity while providing water quality benefits.

Rain Gardens look similar to a landscaped garden on the surface, but underground they are different. During construction, 12 to 24 inches of native soil is replaced with a spongy compost mix that holds and absorbs the stormwater, preventing polluted runoff from entering local streams and Puget Sound.

Rain gardens have other benefits as well. They can help with soggy yards and can provide year round beauty since their plants like growing in both wet and dry conditions.

Rain Garden Incentive Program - Up to $400 Reimbursement!

For a limited time, our Rain Garden Incentive Program that will reimburse applicants up to $400 upon the completion of their rain garden. The incentive is intended for new rain gardens added to existing development. New development/permitted rain gardens are not eligible for the rain garden incentive.

• Instructions and Guidelines
• Program Application
• Stormwater Basin Map & Stormwater Treatment Map

Visit Local Rain Gardens

Public

• Woodland Trail entrance at Eastside Street, SE
• Dirt Works Demonstration Garden at Yauger Park (brochure)
• 11th Avenue, SW (north side near Thomas Street)
• Bowman Avenue, NW and Division Street, NW (northeast corner)
• Hands On Children Museum, 414 Jefferson St., NE (City sponsored rain garden)

Private

• 436 McPhee Road, SW
• 4121 Park Drive, SW (in rear) 
• 911 Adams St., SE (in rear next to alley) 
• 225 - 17th Ave., SE (along Franklin in planter strip) 
• 3309 Fairview St., SE
• 803 Rogers St., NW (along Giles in the planter strip) 
• 2925 Moore St., SE (one in front and one in the rear) 
• 2103 Harrison, SW (in front) 

  - Rain Garden Incentive Program Participant

Questions?

Contact Susan McCleary at 360.570.3794 or smccleary@ci.olympia.wa.us