Eco-friendly rain gardens are smart for the environment - but aren't always pretty. They can turn into an overgrown mishmash of out-of-control foliage and flowers if you don't know what you're doing.

That's what happened to my compact backyard bed. I planted a combination of deep-rooted perennials like rudbeckia and purple coneflowers in a super low part of my yard. Most of them absorbed and survived the rain water - and stream from my neighbor's sump pump hose - that rushed down to the garden. Each summer, I mindlessly added plants - not paying much attention to creating an appealing cohesive design - and hardly ever divided them.

True rain gardens capture and filter rainwater runoff before it can pollute our lakes and streams. The garden is bowl-shaped and composed of deep-rooted hardy wildflower and prairie plants that can handle rainy and dry spells. If you're digging a rain garden - there's plenty of step-by-step instructions and long plant lists all over the Internet.

But make sure to check out the city of Maplewood's website. That community has been at the forefront of promoting rain gardens. And they've done us well-meaning, but challenged rain gardeners a huge favor. Posted on the website (http://bit.ly/1HANkWM) are ten fool-proof color-coded rain garden designs that show exactly what plants to pick and where to place them. Have a sunny spot? There's a layout for a sunny border garden. Like prairie plants? Follow the "Minnesota Prairie garden" diagram. When I dig a real rain garden - hopefully this summer - it's going to look exactly like one of the designs

.

Have you planted a rain garden and does it still look pretty? What plants do you like the best?

Salas, Randy, Star Tribune

Designs from the City of Maplewood and Bonestroo.