This summer has brought consistent rainfall to the nation’s capital and surrounding areas, prompting city officials to assess the effectiveness of local rain gardens. The results have been promising, with these gardens showing vibrant growth and minimal flooding.
In 2021, a rain garden was established at Manordale Park, in front of the Margaret Rywalk Community Centre. According to a recent city press release, the garden has flourished considerably since its installation.
“The installation of this rain garden allowed the city to redirect runoff from the community building’s roof into the garden,” the release noted. “This approach keeps stormwater runoff on site and prevents erosion damage to the walkway and building.”
The garden is thriving with various plant species, including New England Aster, Canada Anemone, and Purple Coneflowers. These plants effectively absorb rainwater from both the roof and the sky, making it the first rain garden to be installed on city property.
Building on the success of the Manordale Park garden, a second rain garden was created in May 2023 at Aquaview Park in Orléans. City staff applied lessons learned from the first garden by introducing a wider variety of plants, such as Butterfly Milkweed, Blazing Star, and Bowman’s Root.
“Similar to the Manordale garden, this new rain garden manages stormwater from the community building’s roof while also serving as a habitat for pollinators,” city staff explained.
To encourage more residents to adopt this environmentally friendly practice, the municipality offers a $2,500 incentive for creating personal rain gardens.