After researching I found that quite a few people use more complex means of designing ways to capture and direct the flow of water. I decided to attempt the simplest way I could to catch and supply water to my garden. I started by equipping myself with two barrels to catch rainwater, strategically placed beneath one of the gutters of my home, where rainwater was directed towards the barrels. I used wire to keep large pieces of debris out of the rain barrels.

My two rain barrels

Rain slides directly off of my roof and into my garden.

My rain barrels allow me to save water than would have otherwise gone into drainage on the street, and I can use it for the garden as often as I’m willing to haul water in buckets around the yard. This isn’t the easiest means of getting water to your garden, but if you don’t mind some extra manual work, it does fine.  I only have to haul water to one side of my garden, because I chose to plant right next to my home, where rainwater could slide right off of my roof and into the garden below.  Having the garden located so closely to my house also enables me to do a little less work in tending it (maybe this makes up for the buckets of water I’ve been carrying), and as often as it rains, it isn’t frequent that I have to water the entire garden myself.