Raingardens are designed to manage rainfall where it lands. Instead of sending water straight into underground pipes, they slow, store and treat runoff at the surface, reducing pressure on drainage networks while improving water quality and enhancing the spaces around them.
When designed properly, raingardens become more than a landscape feature. They are dependable infrastructure, working every day to manage water, support planting and respond to both heavy rainfall and dry conditions. A raingarden from GreenBlue Urban is made up of two components; a HydroPlanter former containing AshMAX soil.
HydroPlanter: Built for Performance, Designed for Site
HydroPlanters are GreenBlue Urban’s modular raingarden systems, developed to bring consistency, reliability and buildability to SuDS.
They combine engineered polymer infrastructure with high-performance growing media (AshMAX) to create a fully integrated system that manages water in a controlled and predictable way. Unlike traditional raingardens, where performance can vary depending on installation and site conditions, HydroPlanters are designed to deliver repeatable results across every project.
At their core, HydroPlanters provide:
- Engineered structure and storage: A defined substructure creates space for water storage while protecting the system from compaction and maintaining long-term integrity
- Controlled water management: Water is captured, stored and released in a controlled way, ensuring consistent performance during rainfall events
- Modular, buildable design: Designed for straightforward installation, reducing complexity on site and supporting efficient delivery
- Space-efficient SuDS: By managing water at source, HydroPlanters reduce the need for large, centralised storage, making them ideal for constrained urban environments
AshMAX: More Than Just Soil
AshMAX (Arborsoil Hydro MAX) is a high-performance growing medium developed specifically for raingardens and SuDS applications.
It has been engineered through extensive research and testing to deliver consistent hydraulic performance while supporting healthy, long-term plant growth. Unlike conventional soils, AshMAX is designed to behave predictably, providing the right balance between water movement, storage and nutrient availability.
Its composition and production are tightly controlled to ensure reliability on every project.
AshMAX delivers:
- High permeability for efficient movement and storage of water
- Defined porosity to support both drainage and aeration
- Controlled chemistry for a stable growing environment
The result is a growing medium that works as part of the system, supporting both water management and thriving vegetation, in both wet and dry conditions.
Designed to Work Together
The performance of a raingarden doesn’t come from a single component; it comes from how everything works together.
HydroPlanters and AshMAX are designed in parallel to complement each other:
- The HydroPlanter provides structure, storage and hydraulic control
- AshMAX provides filtration, water retention and a healthy growing environment
Together, they create a system that:
- Captures rainfall at source
- Performs reliably during heavy rainfall
- Retains moisture to support planting during dry periods
- Maintains long-term hydraulic and biological performance
This integrated approach allows GreenBlue Urban raingardens to operate effectively across extremes, from intense storms to extended drought.
A Complete, Reliable System
Raingardens only deliver value when they perform consistently over time.
By combining engineered infrastructure with a rigorously developed growing medium, GreenBlue Urban systems remove uncertainty. They provide a dependable, repeatable solution that meets modern SuDS requirements while enhancing the quality of the built environment.
The result is simple: raingardens that don’t just look good but perform year after year.
