The Rain Garden Project:
The Monroe County Environmental Fund grant helped fund the creation of a rain garden designed to filter storm water runoff from the parking lot of the Ellis Library & Reference Center. 
The rain garden, following approximately 300 ft. of the Library’s property adjacent to the River Raisin, features native plants along with selected ornamental (shorter) perennials/shrubs, providing landscaping, natural filtration, and habitat for birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects.

List of plants featured in the Ellis Rain Garden

A Partnership Between:

  

Goals of the Project:

• Increase the amount of water filtering into the ground, recharging groundwater and helping to reduce the amount of pollutants entering the River Raisin.
• Help sustain adequate flow in the River Raisin during dry periods.
• Enhance the beauty of our property.
• Provide habitat for birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects.
• Help protect the riverbank from damaging flows; reduce the chance of soil erosion.
• Educate Library patrons about rain gardens.
• Partner with garden clubs, Friends of the Library, etc. to foster development of more rain gardens in the area.

Resources about Rain Gardens:
Links provided by the Monroe County Drain Commission

Publications (printed and/or on-line)

• Rain Garden how-to manual for homeowners. 32 pages, detailed instructions, plant lists, garden designs.  WI DNR Publication PUB-WT-776 2003; also known as University of Wisconsin-Extension, UWEX Publication GWQ037, 1-06-03-5M-100-S.
  
  Rain Gardens: A household way to improve water quality in your community.
  Brochure.  GWQ 034  1-01-02-5M-50-S (UW Extension); DNR WT 731-2002 (WI DNR)
  
  Each publication listed above is available on-line at:
  http://clean-water.uwex.edu/pubs/#wl
  Or call:  608-947-7827; or toll-free 877-947-7827 (Madison, WI)

• Low-impact Design Strategies.  Prince George’s County, MD.  150-page, on-line manual on hydrological strategies, including rain gardens.
  www.epa.gov/owow/nps/lidnatl.pdf
  
• Build Your Own Rain Garden. Rain garden basics and garden designs, with plant suggestions. http://www.appliedeco.com/RainGardens.cfm
  
• Plants for Stormwater Design.  D. Shaw and R. Schmidt, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, July 2003.  369-page manual on plants to use in rain gardens and storm basins.  Suggests species lists for different types of projects.  Information on wetland plants. To order, call 651-297-8679.  Available on-line at: www.pca.state.mn.us/publications/manuals/stormwaterplants.html

Websites

• City of Maplewood, MN  www.ci.maplewood.mn.us (use “search”; key words: “rainwater gardens”) Rain garden photos, plant lists, sample garden designs, maintenance manual
• EPA website about stormwater runoff 
  http://www.epa.gov/weatherchannel/stormwater.html
  
• Friends of Bassett Creek  www.mninter.net/~stack/rain/index.htm
  Excellent list of rain garden plants, with photos of each.
• Fulton Neighborhood, Minneapolis – Landscaping for Rainwater Management
  http://fultonneighborhood.org/get-involved/environment/
• Gopher State One Call: 800-252-1166; www.gopherstateonecall.org
  Call before you dig!
• Prairie Nursery   www.prairienursery.com/catalog/cat_raingarden.asp
  Planting plans for sun gardens in sandy soil or clay soil, along with plant lists.
• RainGardens of West Michigan   www.raingardens.org
  A clearinghouse for rain-garden how-to’s, benefits, garden designs, and more.