Public rain gardens throughout Washtenaw county are working hard to capture dirty stormwater and filter it clean.

We are so lucky to have over 100 volunteers that have adopted a public rain garden!  These stewards pull weeds, spread mulch, plant and trim native plants to make sure the gardens not only look good but work properly.

_{(Obedient plant found in the Stone School Rain Garden.)}

Some of the public rain gardens can be found at schools and municipal buildings, but the majority are in the City of Ann Arbor’s public spaces.

 Thank you to the City of Ann Arbor for helping to fund this volunteer program!    

_{(Rain garden stewards tour gardens to identify native species from invasives.)}

Are you interested in building a rain garden but aren’t sure where to begin? 

With over 1,000 rain gardens built in Washtenaw County, there are many examples of how to direct roof runoff, driveway runoff, sump pump pipes, and sometimes just overland rain runoff into your rain garden. Our rain garden community is made up of water quality experts, native plant specialists, garden enthusiasts, and homeowners just like you! Sign up for our Master Rain Gardener course and learn more about these valuable backyard features!

https://www.washtenaw.org/3031/Getting-Help  

 You can set up an appointment to talk to one of our rain garden experts on how a rain garden might work for your yard, for free!

Not yet ready to build your own rain garden? Become a rain garden steward! 

One of our newest rain garden stewards is going to care for the rain garden at the Saline Library. This rain garden was built on heavy clay but is working beautifully to capture stormwater from the library roof. The garden is full of thriving native plants like Joe Pye Weed, Black-Eyed Susan, Blue Flag Iris, and Rattlesnake Master.

_{(Rain Garden at Saline Public Library.)}    

Thank you to all our stewards, you make our public spaces more beautiful and our community stronger.

If you are interested in adopting a public rain garden, contact Catie at [email protected].

_{(Rain garden steward at Saline Public Library.)}