The Greening of Bate-Wood Homes
Bate-Wood Homes recently created several rain gardens in their community. Depressions in the ground were created near roof drainpipes, sidewalks or other runoff sites. The depressions were then planted with native plants. The runoff flows into the garden (as opposed to storm drains or surface water) where it soaks into the ground and is filtered through the plant roots. Rain gardens help reduce erosion, water pollution and flooding.
Rain garden designer Russ Turpin inspects a single downspout garden that was completed in early April 2009.
The same single downspout garden is flourishing after 3 months.
This double downspout garden shows a variety of vegetation.
Unlike the small downspout sites, this large garden is located so that it collects the run off from 3 buildings.