Raingardens can be simply described as areas of planting designed to slow down and hold on to rainfall, slowly releasing it. The 10,000 Raingardens for Scotland campaign uses the term ‘raingarden’ in order to capture the imagination of the public and make an overt connection to the rainwater that such systems manage.

Raingardens and Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are a more natural way of managing urban drainage, especially around properties and developments.

Raingarden features help to delay the peak flow of rainwater experienced after a rainfall event, more accurately mimicking what you’d expect in the natural water cycle, where vegetation and the natural landscape slow down water.

Raingarden features can be used in housing, schools, leisure or retail parks, community gardens and neighbourhoods – you can find out more about these features on this website and in our leaflets.