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Rain Gardens Washington State University Extension

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Rain garden schematic showing the features of a rain garden.

Are you wondering about rain gardens?

Welcome to Washington State University Extension’s rain garden website. This site provides everything you need to know about rain gardens; from the basics of how they work to building your own — AND where to get more help if you need it.

Washington Rain Garden News

Building a rain garden – step by step

The new Rural Stormwater Solutions website has a great page on how WSU Extension, the Dungeness River Nature Center, and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe built a rain garden in Sequim. Lots of photos, a plant list and even a time-lapse video!


Rural Stormwater Solutions!Promo for ruralstormwater.wsu.edu

WSU Extension and the Washington Stormwater Center are excited to announce a new suite of educational materials to help landowners manage stormwater and reduce polluted runoff in rural areas.

All the materials are available on a new website: ruralstormwater.wsu.edu. There are videos, fact sheets, a white paper, demonstration sites, a glossary of terms, and in-depth resources on the website. Topics include stormwater in rural areas, understanding site conditions, creating a site drainage map and options for management drainage.

The website provides resources for rural stormwater managers, property owners, and people interested in sustainable and beneficial ways to handle rainwater on their property.


Rain Gardens’ turn backyards into water treatment facilities, benefiting marine life.  South Seattle Emerald, Seattle, WA. 5/21/21.

Inspirational Ideas for Designing a Rain Garden. Treehugger, Online. 5/13/21

Installing a rain garden? You could be eligible for a rebate. Seattle Times, Seattle, WA. 5/5/21.

Building a beautiful backyard: Rain gardens can add natural beauty while being sustainable The Reflector, Battle Ground. WA, 5/11/21.

Rain Garden Events and Locations

Join your neighbors around the Salish Sea. Learn about events and rain gardens in your area visit the 12000 Rain Gardens website and click on the interactive map.


Rain Garden illustration available for free download.
Rain Garden poster - back with detailed text about rain gardens

Copyright Good Nature Publishing 2016 artwork by John C. Pitcher


This WSU Extension web sites provide links to external sites for the convenience of users. These external sites are not managed by the WSU Extension. Furthermore, WSU Extension does not review, control or take responsibility for the content of these sites, nor do these sites implicitly or explicitly represent official positions and policies of WSU Extension.

Rural Stormwater Solutions!

WSU Extension and the Washington Stormwater Center are excited to announce a new website.

You will find videos, fact sheets, demonstration sites – including a rain garden, to help manage stormwater and reduce polluted runoff in rural areas.

Assess your rain garden

Wondering if your rain garden is working properly? Give it a checkup with the new assessment protocol co-created by Stewardship Partners and WSU by watching this great instructional video. (16 min.)

Watch Building a Rain Garden in the City and learn why, where and how to build a rain garden. (Under 5 min.)



The 2021 Green Infrastructure Summit of the Salish Sea  was held virtually. Presentations are posted online.


Learn more about water quality at WSU Extension’s website: Washington’s Water.


Do you live on the shoreline in Washington? Become a Shore Steward


Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference.  The 2020 Conference was held online. Many of the presentations are posted. The next conference will be in April 2022.


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Visit our partners

12000 Rain garden logo link

Master Gardener Program logo link to mastergardener.wsu.edu/

Washington Stormwater Center logo link to www.wastormwatercenter.org/raingardens