Learn about beneficial rain gardens at free workshop

A rain garden is an attractive landscaped area planted with perennial native plants which don’t mind getting “wet feet.” Built in a bowl shape, a rain garden is designed to increase infiltration allowing rain and snowmelt to seep naturally into the ground. Benefits of rain gardens are multiple: they recharge groundwater supply, prevent water quality problems, provide habitat for birds and butterflies and are great-looking landscape features.

Amy Roskilly of the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District and the Bay Village Green Team are partnering to sponsor a FREE rain garden workshop on Wednesday, Oct. 19, 6-7:30 p.m. at the Bay Community House, 303 Cahoon Rd. To register, call Amy at 216-524-6580, ext. 22, or email aroskilly@cuyahogaswcd.org.

Recent studies have shown that up to 70% of the pollution in our streams, river and lakes is carried there by run-off from practices we carry out in our own yards and gardens. Some of the common “non-point source pollutants” from our yards that end up in our local waterways include soil, fertilizers, pesticides, pet wastes, grass clippings and other yard debris.

Planting rain gardens is an effective way to help our communities “bloom,” as we work to protect the health of our watersheds. Learn about the importance of planting a rain garden and how to site it for your yard in this workshop as we work through the Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners.

For more information, please visit the Events section at www.bayvillagegreenteam.com.

Brenda OReilly

Co-Chair of the Bay Village Green Team

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Volume 3, Issue 19, Posted 2:53 PM, 09.20.2011