Raingardens for the river

Raingarden in bloom

(Photo by Michelle Kopp)

What's a raingarden?

Raingardens beautify a space while also directly improving water quality.  

Raingardens are designed to catch rainwater runoff, helping prevent erosion and filtering pollutants. They also provide wildlife habitat, attract pollinators and bring beautiful plants and wildflowers to your yard.

"A raingarden is simply a garden with a depression that is designed to catch rainwater runoff in your yard, growing plants that don't mind getting partially flooded on occasion. Raingardens provide wildlife habitat and an opportunity to create beautiful landscaping. And, by soaking up rain where it falls, raingardens slow stormwater runoff, help prevent erosion and remove pollutants in the process."
—From The Blue Thumb Guide to Raingardens by Rusty Schmidt, Dan Shaw and David Dods

What you can do

If you're ready to get started on your own, here are some great online resources:

Landscape for the river

Dig into more tips to help protect the river right from your own backyard.

Upcoming Events

Wednesday, October 15, 2025 - 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Highland Park Community Center Auditorium, St. Paul
Three options: October 20, October 28, November 22, 2025
Hidden Falls Regional Park, St. Paul
Saturday, October 25, 2025 - 9:00am to 12:00pm
3M's oak woodlands, Cottage Grove

Our River Campaign:
It all starts here

At the heart of this new campaign is the vision of a healthy Mississippi River.