This is a great time of year to start planning your garden spaces. Have you ever thought of capturing storm water from your yard to use in a beautiful garden?

Now may be the time. It turns out that rain gardens can cut down on the amount of pollution reaching creeks and streams by up to 30 percent, according to Earth Gauge.

"A rain garden is a planted depression that allows rainwater runoff from artificial urban areas like roofs, driveways, walkways and lawn areas to be absorbed," explains Earth Gauge's materials. "This reduces runoff by allowing storm water to soak into the ground rather than flowing into storm drains and surface waters."

Capturing storm water in a rain garden helps to reduce erosion, water pollution and flooding in our local creeks and streams, while also replenishing groundwater supplies. Rain gardens help fish and wildlife by protecting streams and rivers from pollutants carried by urban storm water like lawn fertilizer, pesticides and car fluids.

Trout Unlimited suggests these tips for building rain gardens:

• Place rain gardens at least 10 feet from the house so water does not seep under the house’s foundation.
• Typical residential rain gardens range from 100 to 300 square feet in size.
• Raingardens should be planted with native plants. To find plants that are native to your area go to http://www.wildflower.org/explore/
• Helpful tips for planning, placing and building a garden are at http://www.bae.ncsu.edu/topic/raingarden/Building.htm