A rain garden is a garden planted in an intentionally depressed area in the landscape. Planted with grasses and flowering perennials, rain gardens collect rain water from a roof, driveway or street and reduce the flow of water into sewers. The water-loving plants in the garden take up the water, helping to slow its infiltration into the ground. Rain gardens can also help filter out pollutants in runoff and provide food and shelter for butterflies, song birds, and other wildlife.
Old Grace Housing Co-operative is committed to creating two rain gardens. One will be at the corner of Arlington and Preston, the other at the corner of Evanson and Preston, not far from where Harry Paine once lived. Both will be flanked by stands of Japanese birch trees.
The rain garden at Preston and Arlington will feature Saskatoon, Dwarf Birch, and Dogwood shrubs plus a variety of other perennial plants. The rain garden at Preston and Evanson will feature Dogwood, Honeysuckle and Nannyberry shrubs plus a variety of perennial plants. Click here to see a plan of the gardens.
The Gardens will be named in honour of the late Harry Paine, whose friends have contributed funds in his honour to pay for the planting of the garden. To date, we have received donations from:
- Allen Bleitch
- Jennifer Pilgrim
- Keystone Housing
- Babara Scheuneman
- Rhoda Rempel
- Pamela McConnell
- Jennifer Gerbasi
- Val Diell
- Judy Restall
- Deanna Ng
- Joy Simpson
- Laura Rempel
- Ken and Marlene Martin
- Shauna MacKinnon
The gallery below displays the full range of the plants that will be placed in these beautiful and environmental effective gardens. (All photos courtesy Shelmerdine Garden Centre, except Closed Gentian, which is courtesy Minnesota Wildflowers, photo credit Katy Chayka.)