Install a Rain Garden; Start with a Free How-To Manual for Vermont and the Lake Champlain Basin

Spring is in the air! We hope that you are looking forward to planting gardens throughout your property. One option we hope you’ll consider this year is installing a rain garden. These areas offer many benefits by capturing, soaking, and filtering stormwater runoff from rooftops and paved areas. You can make an impact by reducing pollution, such as fertilizer, car oil, and sediments, to streams and lakes. And, rain gardens make a beautiful addition to your property!

Lake Champlain Sea Grant and the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension have copies of the 2021 Rain Garden Manual for Vermont and the Lake Champlain Basin available for anyone interested in learning more about rain gardens. This guide is a great tool for installing and maintaining your very own rain garden, with tips and tricks suited to our local environment.

The 28-page manual guides you step-by-step through site selection, sizing, soils, costs, labor, and expected maintenance needs, so that your rain garden will thrive for many years. A section of the manual offers a list of plant species native to the region that can withstand both very wet and dry conditions. Many of the plants provide habitat for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.

This third edition is based on the original manual that was created by the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District in 2009 in collaboration with UVM Extension, Lake Champlain Sea Grant, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, and other partners.

The manual can be downloaded from the Lake Champlain Sea Grant website. To request a free, printed copy, please fill out the rain garden manual request form, and we will contact you to schedule a local pick-up or mailing.

For other stormwater management resources, please visit Lake Champlain Sea Grant’s webpage for homeowners.

We hope you choose to pick up a copy of the manual and learn more about rain gardens!