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The function of gardens is usually growing food and flowers, but your patch of green can also serve an environmental function helping reduce flooding and curb water runoff.
Growing spaces that perform this function are commonly known as rain gardens. These gardens are shallow, sunken plots of land that act as a reservoir for storm water that is not absorbed by surfaces such as sidewalks, driveways or decks.
Natural land spaces such as forests and wetlands can capture and filter out toxins or other unwanted material before they reach a stream or river. But these natural landscapes have been increasingly less common over the years due to urbanization. Storm water has been identified in recent years as a leading source of pollution in 13 percent of rivers, 18 percent of lakes and 32 percent of estuaries nationwide in the US. Rain gardens, however, have been touted as a potential solution and can absorb 30 to 40 percent more water than a standard lawn.