Atmospheric River Garden

Vaughn Bell

21 Acres

When rainwater falls on roads, roofs, and other hard surfaces instead of soaking into the ground, it picks up pollutants and sometimes causes flooding before making its way into streams, rivers, and coastal waters.

To address these issues, King County Water and Land Resource Division’s Stormwater Section developed RainScapes, a program that incentivizes green stormwater infrastructure—such as rain gardens, cisterns, and native plant landscaping—on private properties in unincorporated King County. Then, in partnership with 4Culture, the Stormwater Section set out to commission an artist to inspire people to create and care for rain gardens throughout the county. It identified two locations for initial projects: one in the parking lot of the Vashon Market IGA on Vashon Island and one at 21 Acres, a farm and education center in Woodinville.

Vaughn Bell was selected to design rain gardens for each these locations. At 21 Acres, she created Atmospheric River Garden, which includes both a rain garden and a collection of ceramic forms placed around the site.

When a large storm system—sometimes called an atmospheric river—carries a lot of moisture into the region, it can be a particularly destructive force; a rain garden transforms the land into a resilient habitat that can handle the deluge. Atmospheric River Garden celebrates the healing powers of the rain garden and reveals the movement of water through the site. Made from clay, the artwork includes a rain chain, which shows the movement of water from sky to earth, as well as a collection of organic forms that are partially submerged in the earth. These vessels range in size; some hold plants, some offer pools of water for bees. Together they tell a story of water as it flows and drips through the garden.

As part of her process, Bell studied the art and science of stormwater management, visited rain gardens throughout the county, and met with horticulturists to learn about plants best suited to various rain garden conditions. She also created A Rain Garden Guide to help people create rain gardens on their own properties and deepen their relationships with their local ecology. The guide provides planting and maintenance recommendations and suggests planting schemes that echo woodland, meadow, streamside, and beach environments.

“By cleaning the water, the rain garden improves the health of humans and many other species,” Bell writes in the guide. “It also creates joy by adding beauty to the environment.”

Dirt Corps—a South Seattle organization that provides on-the-job training for adult workers with a focus on rain garden and cistern design/build, operations and maintenance, vegetation management, and ecological restoration—sculpted the rain garden landform based on flags Bell placed on the site to map out the rain garden footprint. Members of the project team including staff from 21 Acres, 4Culture, and the Stormwater Section planted the Woodinville rain garden in October 2023. In fall 2024, Bell will offer several workshops.