Rain Garden

Nine Master Gardeners met at the Arlington Research Station on Saturday, June 14, 2003 to plant a Rain Garden. The purpose of this rain garden is to absorb the rainwater that runs off of the buildings and parking lot at the Headquarters area.

There was previously a waterway south of the parking lot that directed the rainwater around the Public Events Building. A Columbia County Master Gardener member designed the rain garden, incorporating shrubs and native perennials, as well as a few large boulders, strategically placed to prevent driving through the garden. After planting, MG members demonstrated pruning techniques to eliminate some of the top growth and stress on the root system. The shrubs and trees looked much more natural after the pruning.

The project was made possible by the generous contributions of Edgewater Greenhouse and Link’s Greenhouse, Portage; Jung’s Nursery, Randolph; and Prairie Nursery, Westfield.

Stage 1: Outline the Rain Garden area

Stage 2: Remove the grass

Stage 3: Plant shrubs and flowers