Iowa gardener Chris Morse (@totallycrmorse) got a question from one of their followers asking about a particular feature in their garden. They were excited to give a tour.
"I'd be happy to tell you what a rain garden is," Morse says, kicking off the video.
@totallycrmorse Reply to @amhamfam A rain garden is a shallow depression that allows rain and snowmelt to seep naturally into the ground by capturing runoff from rooftops and driveways. #Iowa #raingarden #gardentok #planttok #educational ♬ original sound - Chris Morse
The garden featured a small pool of water surrounded by various plants, including grasses. A later video identified yellow sneezeweed, bulrush, and mountain mint.
Morse went on to describe how rain gardens are able to absorb and filter water from downspouts and sump pumps. This way, water can be stored more readily in the soil, and the water continuing downstream is cleaner. In order to function well, rain gardens need to be positioned on lower ground, allowing them to catch water as it flows downhill. Other commercial installations have done exactly that.
Larger-scale rain gardens have been used to mitigate flood conditions while acting as a habitat for pollinators and local plants. Native plants already need relatively little maintenance since they've evolved for the climate, but a steady water supply will make them even more hassle-free. With more water being retained, these rain gardens also prevent erosion by stopping soil from being washed away.
Increased atmospheric pollution is exacerbating flood conditions, which makes natural solutions like rain gardens all the more important. While we need every tool we can get our hands on to adapt to destructive weather patterns, cutting harmful carbon pollution deals with the problem at the source. Doing so also has the added bonus of slowing atmospheric heating, which is heating polar ice caps and raising sea levels.
Making other upgrades around the home, like installing a heat pump, solar panels, and an induction stove, can help lower home energy pollution and mitigate excessive rainfall.
TikTok commenters were keen to create their own rain gardens after seeing Morse's.
"Cool!!!! We need to look further into this for our yard!" said one community member.
"That's cool," said another viewer.
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"Looks awesome," said another.
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