Among　various　schemes　to　reuse　and　recycle　the　limited　urban　fresh　water　resources,　sustainable　urban　stormwater　management,　such　as　water　sensitive　urban　design　and　rainwater　harvesting,　has　been　recognized　as　one　of　the　most　efficient　and　economically　viable　approaches.　Storm　runoff　shall　be　treated　as　close　as　possible　to　its　source　before　it　is　reused　or　discharged　into　public　drainage　network　or　receiving　waters　to　enhance　the　water　environment　quality.　Bioretention　swale/basin,　which　has　been　commonly　applied　to　treat　runoff　from　roads,　car　parks,　cyclist　and　pedestrian　paths,　rooftops,　etc.　,　is　recognized　to　be　the　most　efficient　and　aesthetic　pleasing　way　to　harvest　rainwater　in　urban　settings,　and　other　Iongish　shape　runoff　catchment　area.　This　paper　studied　over　10　bioretention　swales/basins　applications　in　temperate　region　worldwide　covering　China,　Germany,　Norway,　Austria,　USA,　and　Australia.　Key　steps　in　bioretention　swale/basin　design　and　implementation　in　temperate　region　were　investigated,　such　as　strategic　bioretention　scheme　selection,　flow　conveyance　and　hydraulic　capacity　design,　filtering　media　profile,　vegetation　scheme　selection　and　maintenance　scheme,　and　suggestion　and　key　design　parameters.　The　critical　path　and　parameters　of　bioretention　swale/basin　design　which　enhanced　the　effectiveness　and　efficiency　of　its　application　for　rainwater　harvesting　in　temperate　regions　were　derived.