Rain Garden

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BACKGROUND | FIRST OF ITS KIND IN NAMPA

  • The Educational Rain Garden concept at Lakeview Park began in 2016. 
  • Designs were developed with feedback provided by the Nampa Stormwater Advisory Group (NSWAG) and finalized in 2017.
  • In 2019, the Environmental Compliance Division proposed the construction and materials costs for the garden as a budget request, during Fiscal Year 2020 budget season and was approved for construction by City Council on August 3, 2020. 
  • A combined effort from two City departments (Public Works and Parks Department)- Parks Department, Streets, Engineering and the Environmental Compliance Division.
  • Memorial for Cheryl Jenkins, former ECD Superintendent, who started the educational rain garden project.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

The goal of this garden is to educate community members on water quality and exhibit different methods one can incorporate into personal residences to reduce contaminated stormwater runoff. 

  • Demonstrate to citizens how to build their own Rain Garden.
  • Save water by using a rain barrel, which can lower utility bill.
  • Reduce stormwater pollution, runoff is absorbed in garden instead of flowing into Mason creek or other nearby surface waters.
  • Greener solutions, cleaner community, healthier families.

The garden will include a variety of native, drought-tolerant plants, a pavilion with a rain barrel, and educational signage on how rain gardens reduce stormwater runoff in residential settings.

RESOURCES

How to Build a Rain Garden at Home

List of Drought Tolerant Plants

Grass

  • Festuca ‘Elijah Blue’ Blue Fescue
  • Helictotrichon Blue Oat Grass 
  • Bouteloua ‘Blonde Ambition’ Blue Grama  
  • Pennisetum ‘Little Bunny’ Fountain Grass
  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘The Blue’   Little Blue Stem

Perennials

  • Achillea ‘Paprika’ Yarrow
  • Agastache ‘Sunset’ Hyssop
  • Echinacea spp. Cone flower 
  • Nepeta- x faassenii ‘Walker Low’ Catnip
  • Sedums ‘Autumn Joy’
  • Penstemon ‘Red Rocks’ Beardtongue
  • Bulbs- Tulips, Crocus, daffodils 

Shrubs

  • Aronia m ‘Low Scape’ Black Chokecherry
  • Cornus se ‘Kelsey’ Dogwood
  • Physocarpus opulifolius Diablo Ninebark
  • Potentilla fruticosa Potentilla
  • Lavandula Lavender

Trees

  • Crataegus crus-galli inermis    Hawthorn
  • Quercus macrocarpa Bur Oaks
  • Gymnocladus dioicus Kentucky Coffee tree
  • Juniperus occidentalis Western Juniper
  • Pinus edulis Pinyon Pine
  • Pinus ponderosa Ponderosa Pine

 

Drought Tolerant Plant list

Idaho Native Plant Society (Boise Area Native Plants) | https://idahonativeplants.org/boise-area-native-plants/ 

Treasures of the Boise Front | https://boisefrontnature.com 

University of Idaho Extension | https://www.extension.uidaho.edu/publishing/pdf/BUL/BUL884.pdf 

Landscaping with Native Plants | https://idahonativeplants.org/landscaping-with-native-plants-of-the-intermountain-region/ 

Water Conservation and Rain Gardens 

University of Idaho Water Conservation Publications and Recourses
https://www.extension.uidaho.edu/resources2.aspx?title=Water&category1=Water&category2=Water%20Conservation 

Seattle Public Utilities – Fact Sheet
https://wellesleyma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6569/Building-a-Rain-Garden-PDF 

Groundwater Foundation | https://www.groundwater.org/action/home/raingardens.html 

Reduce your Stormwater | https://www.stormwater.allianceforthebay.org/take-action/installations/rain-gardens 

Idaho Firewise | https://idahofirewise.org 

Idaho Botanical Garden | https://idahobotanicalgarden.org