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MetroParks Rain Garden serves as inspiration
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor In early July, Mill Creek MetroParks Farm completed construction on their demonstration rain garden. The garden was made possible by a grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The facility hopes to use the garden as a teaching space and encourage local residents to start their very own rain gardens.
By SARAH FOOR
Lately, when local residents stopped by the MetroParks Farm or started a leisurely ride through MetroParks Bikeway in Canfield, they may have noticed something new near the entrance of McMahon Hall.
A newly-unveiled Rain Garden, which features landscaping with mulch, stone, and native Ohio trees and shrubbery, is beautiful, but will also serve as an educational tool for area residents.
“Our new Rain Garden will collect water from our rooftop drain spouts and divert falling rainwater away from entering our local streams, creeks and wetlands,” explained Kirsten Peetz, MetroParks environmental land manager.
“In most of our yards, the planted turf grass does nothing to absorb the rain. Most water will simply run into the sewer, taking along any debris in its path. Using our rain garden as a point of reference, any community resident can make a few changes and help local water sources find a more beneficial way back into the environment,” Peetz shared.
The 2,300-square-foot Rain Garden was funded by a $10,850 surface water improvement grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Of 172 statewide applications, Mill Creek Park was one of 32 approved projects. The park applied for the grant in 2010, was approved in May, and began construction right away.
“All of the planning and planting was a service of MetroParks landscape architects. We featured native Ohio flowers and trees that can be found at most local nurseries, and they have very deep root systems, which allows water to soak deep into the soil. Through layers of stone and mulch, rainwater will filter as it falls,” Peetz explained of the design.
Through the demonstration Rain Garden, MetroParks hopes to educate the community on the benefits of the gardens, and show that they can also be decorative and beautiful.
The Ohio EPA grant funded a permanent interpretive sign and information brochures regarding the construction of a residential rain garden. The staff at MetroParks Farm welcomes all community members to observe and ask any questions about their installation. The organization will also be present at the Canfield Fair to field questions about the space.
“It’s a very unique opportunity — residents can see its use and the beauty of local plants, but also see how they can make some small changes on their own to help out our area,” Peetz shared.