Heavy rainfall can frustrate even the most experienced gardeners. Unexpected storms can flood lawns and ruin yards extremely quickly. And the problem is only getting worse. Warming temperatures around the globe are leading to heavier and more intense rainfalls. 

However, one homeowner recently took to Reddit to show off their incredible yard and its ability to quickly drain large amounts of water before calamitous flooding. 

Rain Garden Year 1!!
byu/cheekclapper412 inNativePlantGardening

In a post titled "Rain Garden Year 1," the homeowner shared a video of their yard clearly in the midst of heavy rainfall. But their beautiful plants remain intact, and everything drains efficiently. 

"Just regraded and added new plants two weeks ago to this area that would already flood/pool with heavy rain," the original poster explained. They listed many of the native plants in their yard, including white turtlehead, marsh marigold, and swamp rose mallow. 

The OP isn't the only one to experience the joy and practicality of a rain garden. Another Redditor showed off their South Carolina rain garden that prevented flooding on their lawn. Likewise, a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, resident demonstrated how their yard full of clover and fescue could withstand heavy rainfall. 

Rewilding your yard or upgrading to a natural lawn comes with many benefits. Native plants can be a natural flood deterrent. Plus, they also save you time and money. Yards full of native plants require less water than traditional lawns, lowering your monthly bills. They also require much less maintenance. 

The environmental benefits are also tremendous. Besides conserving water, native plants also attract pollinators — the insects and tiny birds that keep flowers and other plants blooming. Pollinators keep our ecosystems thriving and ultimately protect our food supply. 

There are many options when considering rewilding or installing a native plant lawn. Native plants, clover, buffalo grass, and xeriscaping are all attractive options. And even a partial lawn replacement, like the one shown in the video, can reap incredible benefits. 

Commenters were very impressed and offered their own suggestions. 

"Great work!" one user wrote. "Another plant you could add to the mix is blue mistflower. It loves my rain garden area." 

"Blue flag iris is a nice one to add also," suggested another Redditor.

How often will you be gardening this summer? Every day 🥗 At least once a week 🥕 At least once a month 🌱 I don't garden 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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