Bioswales experience short, potentially intense, periods of rain, flooding and pollutant loading followed by dry seasons. It is important to take into account how the vegetation selected for the bioswales will grow and understanding what types of plants are considered the best fit.
There are four types of bioswales that can be constructed based on the needs of the location.
* Low grass bioswales utilize low growing grass that can be landscaped, similar to lawns. These types of bioswales tend to be less effective than vegetated bioswales in treating stormwater runoff and sustaining an adequate collection time. 
* Vegetated bioswales are created with taller growing plants, ornamental vegetations, shrubs, and even trees. These types can also be lined with rocks to slow down the velocity of stormwater runoff that is flowing through bioswales to increase collection time for decontamination. Vegetated bioswales can also include vegetation that is highly useful in removing certain chemicals in runoffs very efficiently.  
* Low water use bioswales are helpful in areas that tend to be drier with hotter climate. Xeriscape bioswales are populated with runoff generally only after rain and storms and stay dry otherwise. 
* Wet bioswales are similar to wetlands in which they retain water for a much longer period of time that allows for infiltration of stormwater instead of simply emptying the water at the end of the bioswale into storm drain inlets. 
Bioswales require a certain soil composition that does not contain more than 5% clay. The soil itself before implementation should not be contaminated. Bioswales should be constructed with a longitudinal slope to allow sediments to settle. Maximum slope of bioswales is 3:1. A minimum clearance is required to ensure that other infrastructure would not be damaged. The overfill drain should be located at least 6 inches above the ground plane to allow for maximum concentration time of stormwater runoff in the bioswales. Rocks can also be used to slow down the runoff velocity. The use of filters is important to prevent inlets from becoming blocked by sediments or trash.