10 Gardens That Capture and Drain Water With Style
Landscape pros design beautiful and hardworking gardens that effectively drain and manage rainwater and runoff
A rainy day can be a blessing for your garden, but rain also can lead to erosion, puddling or excess runoff. Rain gardens, bioswales, dry creek beds and strategically placed rain chains can help you handle that excess water in your yard while simultaneously cleaning it and keeping it out of the stormwater system. The following 10 landscapes incorporate these features and show how you can save water, contribute to groundwater recharge and create a beautiful bird- and wildlife-friendly area at home.
2. Pocket Prairie
This eye-catching and hardworking dry creek bed meanders through the front yard of an Austin, Texas, home. Native plants soften the stone and provide a feast for the eyes. The landscape design, by Earthwise, collects runoff from the street and keeps water from flowing into storm drains, directing it instead to the planted areas and the groundwater table below. The rocks lining the bottom of the creek also help filter impurities from the water.
This eye-catching and hardworking dry creek bed meanders through the front yard of an Austin, Texas, home. Native plants soften the stone and provide a feast for the eyes. The landscape design, by Earthwise, collects runoff from the street and keeps water from flowing into storm drains, directing it instead to the planted areas and the groundwater table below. The rocks lining the bottom of the creek also help filter impurities from the water.
3. Rustic Ranch
A river of rock creates a beautiful transition from the stone facade of this modern ranch house by J Christopher Architecture to the lawn just beyond it. The rock-filled garden bed and slightly below-grade swale — complete with wooden entry bridge — direct water away from the Dallas-area home’s foundation while also providing drainage and enhancing the home’s rustic feel.
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A river of rock creates a beautiful transition from the stone facade of this modern ranch house by J Christopher Architecture to the lawn just beyond it. The rock-filled garden bed and slightly below-grade swale — complete with wooden entry bridge — direct water away from the Dallas-area home’s foundation while also providing drainage and enhancing the home’s rustic feel.
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4. Stormwater Catcher
A large bioswale surrounded by drought-tolerant plants manages rain and clay soil as well as summer drought in this Los Angeles front yard by FormLA Landscaping. Drains, an underground vessel and a sump pump direct all the water from the roof, backyard and front garden to the swale, which percolates the water into the soil. Another drain can handle any overflow.
The homeowners made the swale twice the size required by local regulations, and placed it in the front yard as an example of a stylish water retention system.
15 Ways to Manage Excess Water in Your Landscape
A large bioswale surrounded by drought-tolerant plants manages rain and clay soil as well as summer drought in this Los Angeles front yard by FormLA Landscaping. Drains, an underground vessel and a sump pump direct all the water from the roof, backyard and front garden to the swale, which percolates the water into the soil. Another drain can handle any overflow.
The homeowners made the swale twice the size required by local regulations, and placed it in the front yard as an example of a stylish water retention system.
15 Ways to Manage Excess Water in Your Landscape
5. Victorian Update
In Chicago, Twig Landscape Design updated this Victorian home’s front yard while paying homage to its classic style. A dry river bed that captures runoff and rainwater curves and flows to draw attention to the wraparound porch. New plantings, which include bright perennials, showy shrubs and trees, allow the home’s traditional style to shine through.
In Chicago, Twig Landscape Design updated this Victorian home’s front yard while paying homage to its classic style. A dry river bed that captures runoff and rainwater curves and flows to draw attention to the wraparound porch. New plantings, which include bright perennials, showy shrubs and trees, allow the home’s traditional style to shine through.
6. Multipurpose Approach
Rainwater harvesting features add drama and interest to the landscape surrounding this Minneapolis-area home. The wide, rocky expanse below the house can capture and filter a large amount of water; it also provides an unexpected garden view for those crossing the bridge to the main house. Rain chains along the edges of the roof feed into the space while helping slow the water’s flow.
Rainwater harvesting features add drama and interest to the landscape surrounding this Minneapolis-area home. The wide, rocky expanse below the house can capture and filter a large amount of water; it also provides an unexpected garden view for those crossing the bridge to the main house. Rain chains along the edges of the roof feed into the space while helping slow the water’s flow.
7. Sustainable Style
Rain chains deliver roof runoff directly to the front yard of this Boulder, Colorado, home by Rodwin Architecture & Skycastle Homes. The garden features a mix of native and habitat-friendly grasses, shrubs, perennials and edibles. The result is a sustainable solution that pleases both the family members and passersby.
12 Sustainable Gardening Ideas From Landscape Design Pros
Rain chains deliver roof runoff directly to the front yard of this Boulder, Colorado, home by Rodwin Architecture & Skycastle Homes. The garden features a mix of native and habitat-friendly grasses, shrubs, perennials and edibles. The result is a sustainable solution that pleases both the family members and passersby.
12 Sustainable Gardening Ideas From Landscape Design Pros
8. Pool Conversion
This spacious graveled entertaining area, complete with fire pit, sits in a former pool area in the Lafayette, California, home’s backyard. JGrow used the permeable ground material for both the conversation area and the paths surrounding a nearby vegetable garden.
The water savings don’t stop there. The old pool is now an underground reservoir, collecting rooftop runoff and supplying almost all of the yard’s irrigation needs.
15 Outdoor Spaces That Rock Permeable Paving
This spacious graveled entertaining area, complete with fire pit, sits in a former pool area in the Lafayette, California, home’s backyard. JGrow used the permeable ground material for both the conversation area and the paths surrounding a nearby vegetable garden.
The water savings don’t stop there. The old pool is now an underground reservoir, collecting rooftop runoff and supplying almost all of the yard’s irrigation needs.
15 Outdoor Spaces That Rock Permeable Paving
9. Beach Vibes
This rain garden by Verdant Enterprises, in the low country of South Carolina, respects the natural landscape. Designed as the first stop for water runoff, it is filled with native grasses, which cleanse and slow the movement of water. The clean water then flows into a marsh that’s part of the property, continuing the cycle.
This rain garden by Verdant Enterprises, in the low country of South Carolina, respects the natural landscape. Designed as the first stop for water runoff, it is filled with native grasses, which cleanse and slow the movement of water. The clean water then flows into a marsh that’s part of the property, continuing the cycle.
10. Shared Space
Next-door neighbors in Portland, Oregon, each reap the benefits of this rain garden that Plan-it Earth Design installed along the property line. Rainwater runs off both roofs to this low spot, then gradually seeps back into the ground. Grass-like carex and other plant varieties thrive in the moist soil while giving the garden year-round appeal.
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Next-door neighbors in Portland, Oregon, each reap the benefits of this rain garden that Plan-it Earth Design installed along the property line. Rainwater runs off both roofs to this low spot, then gradually seeps back into the ground. Grass-like carex and other plant varieties thrive in the moist soil while giving the garden year-round appeal.
More on Houzz
Read more stories about landscape design
Browse landscape photos
Hire a landscape contractor
Shop for your outdoor spaces
A combination bioswale and rain garden in this Los Angeles home’s backyard delights birds, butterflies and humans alike. It captures all the water runoff from that side of the house in a below-grade planted depression. Grasses and low-water plants line the space and filter out pollutants before the water percolates back into the ground.
Urban Oasis Landscape Design, which the homeowners found on Houzz, added a similar rain garden in the front yard as well. Together, the two areas capture and drain 100 percent of the home’s roof runoff before it can reach the storm drain system.
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