Rain Garden Plants for the Pacific Northwest

title: "Rain Garden Plants for the Pacific Northwest"

A rain garden is a shallow, planted depression that captures and filters stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces — rooftops, driveways, and paved walkways — before it enters storm drains or streams. Per Oregon State University Extension, rain gardens are particularly well-suited to the Pacific Northwest because the region receives most of its annual rainfall in concentrated storms from October through April. A garden designed to capture this runoff serves both aesthetic and environmental functions.

Per Washington State University Extension, rain gardens are not water features or ponds. They are designed to drain completely within 24–72 hours of a storm event and remain dry for weeks at a time in summer. Plants must tolerate both periodic inundation during heavy rains and summer drought — a specific dual tolerance that limits plant selection to species with genuine adaptability.

Table of Contents

1. Rain Garden Design Basics for the Pacific Northwest
2. Soil and Drainage Requirements
3. Pacific Northwest Native Rain Garden Plants
4. Adapted Non-Native Options
5. Plant Selection Table
6. Installation and Maintenance
7. Common Problems
8. Frequently Asked

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