close up of a rain garden in front of house

Rain Gardens

MMSD Greater Milwaukee Spring RAIN GARDEN PLANT SALE

The MMSD spring rain garden plant sale is open until April 6th, 2020.  We partner with a local greenhouse to order your rain garden plants online for up to 50% off retail. 

How do I order?

To order, visit our online Rain Garden Plant Store.

Plants are sold in bundles of 4; each plant's container is 2.5" x 2.5" x 3.5 " (length x width x height/depth);  one bundle of 4 plants costs $10.00 unless otherwise noted. The rain garden kits take the guesswork out of gardening. Each kit contains 32 plants, provides coverage for 40 to 50 square feet and costs $71.00. 

Dates to remember:

  • April 6th, 2020: All orders must be submitted by the close of business.
  • Saturday, June, 13th, 2020: Plant order pickup. Please mark the pickup date on your calendar; there is only one pickup date.

Who can order:

Any private property owner, local non-profit group, or municipality within the MMSD service area can purchase plants. Plants cannot be purchased for resale. If you are unsure of your status or have other questions, please call us at (414) 225·2222 or submit your question on our contact us form. 

Rain Garden Workshops:

MMSD offers FREE Rain Garden Design Workshops where you can learn about rain gardens, plant selection, and plant care. To receive notification of when the workshops will be held, sign up for our Fresh Coast News email list.

WHY RAIN GARDENS?

Rain gardens are gardens that are watered by collected or pooled stormwater runoff, slowly infiltrating it into the ground along root pathways. They are typically planted with wildflowers and deep-rooted native vegetation, which helps infiltrate rain channeled to them from roofs, driveways, yards and other impervious surfaces. They can be placed near downspouts on homes (although away from building foundations and sewer laterals), and are an excellent means of removing pollutants from stormwater runoff. They should be slightly depressed to adequately hold and infiltrate stormwater runoff.

INFORMATION AND RESOURCES

  • slide
  • slide
  • slide
  • slide

How to Install a Rain Garden

It's quick and easy to install a rain garden, this video will show you how.

Benefits of Rain Gardens with Melinda Myers

Check out this video with gardening expert Melinda Myers to learn about the benefits of planting a rain garden and how rain gardens can help the environment.

How to Select Plants for a Rain Garden with Melinda Myers

When it comes to choosing plants for your rain garden, you can be overwhelmed by the options. Gardening expert, Melinda Myers, offers a few of her favorite rain garden plants to help you get started.