![]() Have you heard about rain gardens? Do you know how they work? If not, we’ve got you covered!Ī rain garden isn’t a garden of rain – it’s actually a garden comprised of native shrubs, flowers, and perennials planted in a shallow hole made for rainwater collection. Maximize the Power of Native Plants with Your Very Own Rain Garden! For more plant-related recommendations, check out these resources from the UC Master Gardeners of San Mateo & San Francisco Counties. These plants do well in areas like San Mateo County, meaning you can enjoy a thriving yard that’s both beautiful and environmentally beneficial all season long. When deciding which native plants to surround your permeable walkways and driveway, consider adding Yerba buena, Hummingbird sage, or other climate-friendly plants. The combination of native plants and permeable surface materials prevents harmful chemicals and waste from traveling through the environment when it rains. There are also permeable paving surfaces for driveways and walkways, such as interlocking concrete pavers, porous asphalt, and pervious concrete. These materials allow water to trickle through while filtering out pollutants. Permeable surfaces are areas of land that contain materials such as mulch and turf. Permeable surfaces on the other hand work to counter the effects of runoff from rainwater and irrigation. (Native plants absorb excess rainwater and prevent runoff from reaching impermeable surfaces.) Because native plants are best suited for the semi–Mediterranean climate, their deep roots absorb rainwater and prevent runoff from ever reaching these impermeable surfaces. During this period, the excess rainwater that does not soak into the ground travels on streets and pavements (also known as impermeable surfaces) and will pick up pollutants along the way into storm drains, which drain into local creeks, the San Francisco Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. San Mateo County receives an average of 24 inches of rain per year, with the rainy season lasting from October to May. California is still in a drought, so make the most of the gift of rain this season and incorporate native plants into your landscape to maximize the benefits of rain while minimizing rainwater runoff pollution! ![]() With winter on the horizon and the rainy season among us, now is the time to consider how colder and wetter conditions impact water conservation efforts in our yard and garden.
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