Best plants for a rain garden – 9 species that will turn a waterlogged, problem area of your yard into a thing of beauty

If you have an area in your yard that regularly collects water after a downpour, you can turn it into a landscaping asset by creating a rain garden. Areas where your garden slopes down or there's a shallow dip, the ground beneath gutters and downpipes, and muddy spots all work well for rain gardens.

Your choice of plants will depend on your climate and which water-loving plants are native to your local environment, plus where you're going to grow them in your rain garden. It's a good idea to choose native plants as they cope with a range of weather conditions including heavy rain, plus are hardy and hugely resilient as they have adapted to thrive in your local climate.

Having plants in a rain garden that can absorb water during extreme weather events is important, especially with growing concerns about climate change. Here are nine of the best plants for a rain garden as chosen by our experts, so you can plant up your space correctly.

9 of the best plants for a rain garden

'The list of potential plants for rain gardens is enormous,' according to leading planting design and landscaping expert Nigel Dunnett, author of Rain Gardens: Managing Water Sustainably in the Garden and Designed Landscape, available from Amazon. 'This is because a rain garden is neither wet nor dry, but periodically swings between the two.'

'A popular misconception about rain gardens is that they are ponds, but in fact they are more like a wetland and require plants that can tolerate periods of wet and dry soil,' agrees plant expert Willi Galloway. 'When choosing plants keep in mind that the lowest level of a rain garden will have the wettest soil and the top will tend to be drier, while the area in between will have more variable soil moisture.

Rain garden plants tend to be thought of mostly as herbaceous perennials and grasses. Annuals can also be successful, but bulbs may not do so well because they tend to rot away if soil is continually wet.

When planning your rain garden, think of it as having three separate planting zones. The lowest part, the sides, and the top level (the most shallow part). For the bottom zone, choose plants that are happy with a drought and drench lifestyle. These plants grow well for months in standing water, but they also can survive in dry conditions.

For the sides, look for plants that can tolerate occasional ponds and have strong root systems to stabilize soil on slopes and prevent erosion, like asters. For the top zone, since it’s rarely wet for prolonged periods, choose perennial plants that thrive in drier conditions, such as beebalm.

Nigel Dunnett

Nigel Dunnett is Professor of Planting Design and Urban Horticulture in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield, UK, and one of the world’s leading voices on innovative approaches planting design. He is a pioneer of the new ecological and sustainable approaches to gardens, landscapes, and public spaces.

Willi Galloway

Willi Galloway started her career as the West Coast Editor of Organic Gardening magazine. She gardens in rainy Portland, Oregon and is the author of Grow Cook Eat: A Food-Lover’s Guide to Vegetable Gardening and the forthcoming cookbook Veggies for Breakfast: 100 Plant-Focused Recipes for Healthier Mornings.

1. Swamp milkweed

The name doesn't sound inspiring but gorgeous swamp milkweed is one of the best plants for a rain garden, especially as it is a host plant for rare Monarch butterflies. The long-lasting clusters of pink flowers bloom through summer and into fall, reaching heights of up to 4-5 feet. It's a great choice for a sunny rain garden.

'The sight of monarch butterflies dancing among the pink flowers feels like a perfect result of nature's design,' says plant expert Tammy Sons. 'Swamp milkweed stands out as an ideal plant because it thrives in growth zones 3-8 and draws in pollinators.

'These plants perform best in rain gardens because they can handle both drought and temporary flooding. Through my years of experience, I've learned that selecting appropriate plants determines the success of a rain garden while also creating a thriving and attractive landscape feature.'

This native of North America forms does well in moist, medium to wet clay soil, so rain gardens offer the ideal conditions. Use it as a key element in your sustainable landscaping ideas.

Tammy Sons

Tammy Sons is a horticultural expert and the CEO and founder of TN Nursery, a thriving online plant nursery based in Altamont, Tennessee. She is also a prolific writer, sharing her knowledge through articles on various gardening topics, including plant care, sustainable landscaping, and the latest trends in horticulture.

2. Blue flag iris

'Blue flag iris is a great pick because it does an awesome job at absorbing excess water,' says landscape designer Chris Turner, of outdoor architecture practice Studio Nishi. 'It also has beautiful purple-blue blooms. It thrives in zones 3-9, prefers full to partial sun, and adapts well to periodic flooding. I absolutely love how it attracts pollinators and adds a soft, flowing movement to the planting design in rain gardens.'

The various types of blue flag irises occur throughout the US, characterized by their pale blue to deep blue-violet flower coloration. This native species of iris produces showy, purple flowers amid long, grassy leaves from late spring to early summer. It thrives in moist to wet soils with full to partial sunlight and can be planted in rain gardens, as well as near ponds and streams, giving a pleasing grassy effect when planted beside water.

'I enjoy the blue flag iris because its striking blue-purple flowers beautify wet areas while its deep roots filter water and stabilize the soil,' adds Tammy Sons. 'This plant also handles seasonal flooding without any issues.'

Find blue flag iris flowers here at Nature Hills Nursery and add them to your rain garden ideas today.

Chris Turner

Chris Turner is an expert in designing gardens and outdoor spaces. He is the owner and designer at outdoor architecture practice Studio Nisho. With a keen eye for aesthetics and a passion for crafting outdoor masterpieces, Chris has built a reputation for transforming garden spaces into extraordinary environments.

3. Cardinal flower

One of the best plants for a rain garden and an absolute beauty is the stunning perennial Lobelia cardinalis, also known as cardinal flower. It's an upright plant that has spikes of pure red flowers and is not to be confused with the trailing annual variety that's popular for container gardens and hanging baskets.

This damp-loving plant blooms throughout summer and into fall. Then it dies back and reappears the following spring. It's a great option for a sunny rain garden. It needs moisture to thrive, so as well as being a popular choice for rain gardens it's often used around the edges of ponds. As long as it gets plenty of moisture it's a trouble-free plant to grow.

Plants such as these long-flowering cardinal flowers from Walmart are an excellent food source for hummingbirds, as well as being a great choice for plants for pollinators as they attract bees and butterflies.

4. Blue vervain

If you want another great idea for a sunny rain garden that will attract pollinators all summer long then make blue vervain (Verbena hastata, also known as swamp verbena) your go-to. This pretty plant is a wildflower that's native to the US and grows in zones 3-9.

It's very tolerant of wet soil, and for this reason is usually found growing in damp meadows, around ponds, and in water or rain gardens.

It spreads slowly via both rhizomes and self-seeding so can be used to naturalize an area of planting. It has a clump-forming habit. The blue-purple flowers of verbena look like candelabra and if you pinch out the tops this will encourage branching. It can grow up to 4-6 feet tall so will add vertical interest to your rain garden planting design.

5. Marsh marigold

One of the best plants for a rain garden that's shady in zones 3-7 is the marsh marigold (Caltha palustris). The upright bright yellow flowers and pretty heart-shaped leaves in zingy lime add brilliant pops of color early in the season.

As you'd expert from one of the best pond plants this variety loves having its feet in water so is a good choice for planting shelves in your rain garden too. But really it will thrive in any corner with moist soil as long as the soil never dries out. For this reason it's best to plant it in the lowest spot of your rain garden.

For the best-looking results, plant marsh marigolds in groups or drifts, and let them slowly form clumps. As well as adding a visual splash this water-loving perennial is a good choice for pollinators at a time when other nectar providing flowers aren't yet in abundant supply in the garden.

6. Carex pendula

With its elegant weeping growing habit this tall deciduous grass makes an attractive choice of perennial plant for the rain garden. Throughout the summer months Carex pendula (also known as drooping sedge) has pendulous catkins with purple tips that make a lovely ornamental feature.

This US native is ideal for planting in the wet soil of rain gardens in zones 5-9, as well as at the back of damp borders and in water gardens, where it will grow up to 6 feet tall if the conditions are right. It typically prefers a full to partially shady growing environment.

It's one of the best ornamental grasses for 'filling in' the planting in rain gardens and forms a lovely backdrop for other showier plants, especially as it keeps its leaves and is evergreen all year round. It spreads via both rhizomes and seeds, and can become invasive in some areas if not kept in check.

Willi Galloway has another couple of Carex varieties to recommend too. 'Grassy looking sedges including palm sedge (Carex muskingumensis) and black sedge (Carex nigra) tolerate soil that stays wet for much of the year, but they may need some supplemental irrigation during dry periods in the summer and fall.'

7. Joe pye weed

This classic US perennial is an easy to care for and long-blooming variety, which means it's one of the best plants for a rain garden, especially one that's sunny. The clouds of mauve-pink flowers will fit right in with the rain garden aesthetic, and as they are vanilla scented this means they are an asset for attracting pollinators too. All good if you're interested in how to boost biodiversity in your yard.

Hardy in zones 4 to 9, once this plant settles in wet, soggy soil it will be entirely happy. In the event the water in your rain garden dries up you will need to water Joe pye weed regularly as it won't appreciate being parched, although this is less of a problem once the plant is mature. A layer of mulch around the base of your plant will help to retain soil moisture and keep the roots cool.

This plant can grow to seven feet tall and will spread to 4 feet, so be sure to give it plenty of growing space in your rain garden to accommodate its height and spread.

8. New England aster

New England asters are one of the leading lights of rain garden planting, late bloomers that will help shift your planting scheme smoothly from summer to fall. They have larger flowers than other varieties of asters, in gorgeous shades of pink and mauve.

These magnificent blooms light up the late season landscape and can reach heights of up to 6 feet tall. They are an easy to grow perennial. This particular variety of aster prefers moist, well-draining soil that is exposed to full sun, and is often seen growing on the edges of wetlands.

Hardy in zones 3-9, these gorgeous flowers will be smothered in bees and butterflies looking for late season pollen.

9. Beebalm

As well as being one of the best plants for stormwater management, there are many more reasons to love beebalm (also known as Monarda fistulosa and wild bergamot). In addition to rain gardens, beebalm works well in wildflower meadow planting schemes and prairie gardens.

Found throughout most of the US this fast grower has ragged pinky-purple flowers that look like pompoms and aromatic foliage that attracts native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. If you love the look of it find out more about the best monarda varieties to add to your yard.

Hardy in zones 3-9, it can grow up to 4 feet tall and does best in a location that gets full sun/part shade. As you would expect from one of the best plants for a rain garden it prefers moist to wet soil. This tough perennial plant quickly spreads by rhizomes and seed, so is a good choice to fill out rain garden planting schemes.

FAQs

Can you grow edibles in a rain garden?

Yes you can grow edibles in a rain garden. 'If you’d like to grow edible perennials in your rain garden, considering planting rhubarb, strawberries, and evergreen huckleberry near the top zone, and miner’s lettuce in wetter zones,' recommends Willi Galloway.

If you're looking for more water feature ideas consider rills, blades and basins too, as well as garden pond ideas to transform your outdoor space.