MARTIN SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT

923 North State Street, Suite 170, Fairmont, MN  56031 

(507) 235-6680
 

 2008 RAIN GARDEN PROGRAM
garden
 
Benches surround the rain garden at St. Philip’s Episcopalian Church in Annapolis, creating an area where parishioners can visit for prayer and meditation. On Earth Day this year, they will dedicate a stone altar and begin using the site for worship.

WHAT IS A RAIN GARDEN?
A rain garden is an attractive landscaping feature planted with perennial native plants.  It is a bowl-shaped garden, designed to absorb stormwater run-off from impervious surfaces such as roofs and parking.
 
Rain gardens can be small, formal, home-owner style gardens, large complex bioretention gardens, or anywhere in between.
 
WHY WOULD YOU WANT A RAIN GARDEN?
Rain is natural; stormwater is not.  Government studies have shown that up to 70% of the pollution in our streams, rivers and lakes is carried there by stormwater.  Although most people never think about stormwater, about half of the pollution that stormwater carries comes from things we do in our yards and gardens.
 
Planting a rain garden may seem like a small thing, but if you calculate the amount of rain that runs off your roof, you would be very surprised.  That rain is supposed to soak into the ground, but instead heads down the street to the storm drain, carrying pollution with it.
 
Keeping rain where it falls, by putting it into a beautiful rain garden, is a natural solution.  You not only get a lovely garden out of it, you have the added benefit of helping protect our rivers, streams and lakes from stormwater pollution.  You  an be part of a beautiful solution.
 

In this third of three photos, within 24 hours of a storm that left the new rain garden filled to the brim, it was completely drained of water. The natural processes had worked: The water seeped into the ground, nourishing the recently planted chokeberry hollies, virburnum, ferns and bluebells, while refreshing the groundwater and filtering pollutants.

   

Prairie Garden in Maplewood

 
Contact Martin SWCD for information on HOW TO GET STARTED and the availability of Cost Share....at (507) 235-6680 or email:  cathy.thiesse@mn.nacenet.net.
 
 

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The contents are the property of Martin SWCD.  The District's goal is to provide quality and accurate information.  All information within this site is subject to change and should only serve as a guideline for the District's services and procedures.  For the most Current and accurate information please contact the District at (507) 235-6680.