Mizzling, drizzling, spitting, lashing, hammering… cats, dogs, stair rods and buckets of it. We know our rain here in the UK, or do we? Whether it’s the middle of a heatwave or the middle of winter, we’re increasingly experiencing downpours that are described as the ‘wrong kind of rain’... Bursts of heavy downfall that cause flash flooding as stormwater runs off the dry earth that’s a hangover from months of drought.

Those of us with outdoor space have a gift and a responsibility – we have a chance to plan ahead and get creative in capturing and using the rainwater that falls in our laps.

Because recycling precious rainwater in the garden can help reduce erosion and nutrient leach from the soil, benefit wildlife through new wet habitats, reduce and manage flooding and, rather brilliantly, take the pressure off lugging watering cans to and fro.

The basic principle of rainwater gardening is to ‘slow the flow’ by intercepting and storing or using water at every opportunity.

The term ‘rain garden’ is often used to describe a depressed or shallow patch of garden that collects run-off from roofs and surrounding surfaces and is filled with plants that can tolerate boggy conditions. But in reality, rainwater gardening is a catch-all term for a series of interventions you can make in your garden.

A good place to start is by using the water that runs off roofs of sheds, garages and greenhouses. And making use of gutters and downpipes. But even if you can’t work with your roofs and downpipes, there are other ways to divert and harvest rainwater, making sure it replenishes the garden right where you want it to.

Check out dry and damp loving plants below, plus our list of 10 essential drought-tolerant plants for our ever hotter summers.

Rainwater harvesting system
This is the ‘go big or go home’ option. Rainwater harvesting tanks (or attenuation tanks) filter and store collected roof rainwater in large tanks – ranging in size from 500 to 30,000 litres – above or below ground. Although a big space commitment (and not a minor investment), they can lower water bills by up to 50 per cent, and are worth considering if you’re embarking on building work or landscaping. Rainwater can be recycled for flushing the toilet, washing machines and garden irrigation. Most suppliers can tailor advice based on individual circumstances to determine the right size of tank for the property and intended use.

Water butt
The familiar water butt is a simple and practical option for most spaces. Typically they store 200 litres of water and can be daisy-chained together to create extra capacity. A water butt is the ideal way to water pots and planters near the house or the vegetable garden when attached to a shed. You can buy attractive wooden-clad barrels, rather than the bog-standard plastic butt, and there are even pretty options for downpipes called ‘rain chains’ (where the water runs down a metal chain into a rain barrel/butt or into a rainwater planter).

Stormwater/rainwater planter
A clever idea designed to capture roof rainwater via a traditional downpipe or rain chain directly into a planter – it looks good and is low maintenance and functional. Any waterproof container or raised bed can be used. The key is to plant it with species that are happy to sit in occasionally damp soil conditions. Excess water in the planter is managed via an overflow pipe to avoid waterlogging (this overflow can be transported to other areas in the garden via a rill). Stormwater planters are positioned next to buildings (in order to be connected to a downpipe from the roof), so it’s important to leave space between the planter and building to avoid moisture ingress into adjacent walls.

Rill or swale
Rills are an option if rainwater needs to be directed to other areas of the garden or overflow from stormwater planters needs to be transported elsewhere. A rill is a stream created via narrow channels and can be created to travel from A to B in way that doubles up as a design feature, cutting through or around paved terraces, lawns or planted areas, often in interesting zig-zags or curves. They can be edged with steel or bricks, for example, which can create a nice contrast as they cut through natural planting.

Swales are a softer and more natural looking way to move water to other areas of the garden. These are essentially a depression in the ground that’s planted with species that are happy in both dry and damp conditions. If the garden slopes away from the house, then a swale will collect and transport rainwater to lower parts of the garden.

Pond and bog gardens
Rainwater can be directed into ponds and bog gardens using rills or even direct pipes from gutters or water butts. Rainwater ponds and bog gardens work together so that when incoming water enters the pond, any excess overflows into an adjacent bog area. Bog gardens are typically lined with a butyl liner, which creates permanently damp growing conditions. See the plant lists below for pond and bog plants.

Green roof
This is a relatively simple option for using rainwater right at the point of contact. It utilises the space on any flat or gently sloping roof surface which is in good repair by planting it up. Sedum turf or a more biodiverse meadow roof are both great opportunities to reduce surface water run-off and maximise habitat space for wildlife.