Rain Gardens and other such landscaping features are critical for the filtration of nutrients within a watershed. Before starting your garden, contact your local Conservation Commission Agent to verify that it is okay to install a buffer/rain garden where you are planning. Any alteration to the landscape or vegetation within 100′ of a body of water or wetland requires a review from the Conservation Commission.
It is important to remember that even though your buffer and/or rain garden is meant to collect rain, it will not always have water in it. For this reason, be sure to select native, drought resistant plants such as the ones listed below:
Perennials:

Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) – 1’, full/part shade, delicate with blue-lavender bell-shaped flowers (Photo by By Veli-Matti Niemitalo)
Low growing shrubs:
Ground Covers:
Patridge Berry (Migtchella repens) – 2”, full/part shade, white flowers in June, red berries late summer-fall
Christmas Fern (Polystichum acrostichoies) – 1’, full/part shade, evergreen ground cover, glossy foliage
Cinnamon Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea) – 3-4′, full/part shade, handsome foliage, cinnamon-colored fertile fronds
Sensitive Fern (Onoclea sensibilis) – 2’, full/part shade, fertile fronds used in dried arrangements