One content creator has made a TikTok video to share some tricks they used to create an adorable and ecosystem-friendly garden.
"These are my rain gardens," explained dmngrne (@dmngrne), a Pacific Northwest gardener. "I built waterfalls for my downspouts using rocks and concrete. Miniature creek beds lead to the rain gardens. When it rains they turn into streams. I dug out shallow basins for the rain to pool in. In heavy rain they become tiny ponds. I love having secret backyard waterfalls."
@dmngrne i won't tell you how much digging it took though. Thank you @Audubon Society for the resources #nativegarden #pollinatorgarden #raingarden #waterconservation #backyardhabitat #pnwgarden #MakeASplash #portland ♬ Only Happy When It Rains - Garbage
Gardening is a great way to get outdoors and get your hands dirty, which can have some surprisingly wide-ranging health benefits. It is also a great way to help support your local ecosystem and the environment.
A rain garden, in addition to being a beautiful and whimsical addition to your yard, has tons of benefits. Since they are designed to soak up excess rainwater, rain gardens help to prevent erosion and keep fertilizers and pesticides from running off into storm drains, where they can contaminate water sources.
And, as many gardeners have been eager to share with the internet, they really do work as they are intended. Even after extremely heavy rains, a correctly constructed rain garden can soak up all that water and put it to good use for native plants that need moisture.
"Rain gardens conserve groundwater, recharge aquifers, and filter pollutants from roofing materials," the TikToker explained. "Planted with native plants, they also create pollinator habitats."
Many of their followers were impressed by and envious of the rain gardens.
"I wanna make one now," one commenter wrote.
"That is so freaking pretty," another said.
"Dreamy. Thank you," a third added.
For anyone looking to make their own rain garden, Audubon Delta has a free guide that lays out the principles — though you will have to do research to make sure you use plants that are native to your area.
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