This information supplements the "Selecting the Right Plants" section of the Rain Garden Manual for Vermont and the Lake Champlain Basin.
Overview of Seed Mixes Resources
Seeding your rain garden with locally or regionally sourced native plant species offers a low-cost option to establish vegetation. Seeding your rain garden, as opposed to planting containers, will create a naturalized meadow look with a beautiful mix of wildflowers and grasses. The seeds will establish and organize themselves to create a dynamic rain garden ecosystem. If you are worried about a messy look, defining the edge of your rain garden with a clean mown line, rocks, or a fence will establish it as an intentional and cared-for area. You could even create a sign to explain the function of it! Make sure to buy your native seed mixes from businesses that source seed locally or regionally to help protect native plant communities. The following companies and seed mixes provide some great local and regional sources:
Ernst Conservation Seeds "Rain Garden Mix" is sourced from Pennsylvania and West Virginia
Overview of Plant Selection Resources
Here you will find a larger list of plants to consider, and expert resources to explore. These perennials, shrubs and trees can be placed in any part of your rain garden with success, however, some plants will be more successful in the wetter or drier sections of your garden. Therefore, when designing the garden, be aware of each plant’s ideal soil conditions and place in the garden accordingly.
Supplemental Information
Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) list of native plant suppliers in Vermont (PDF)
UVM Extension's Climate-Smart Native Plant List (PDF)
The Federation of Vermont Lakes and Ponds Plant List (PDF)
