Rain Garden Plant Selection for Western Nebraska
Posted under Residents, Scottsbluff by Scottsbluff, no comments 13 AprThere are many different native or well-adapted plants that can be used in rain gardens in Nebraska. Below are a few that we have used here in Scottsbluff that have done very well in our rain garden.
Bee balm (pictured above) is an excellent rain garden plant, but it can spread aggressively. In our rain garden, it spread very quickly in May and June, but once it started getting hot in July, it stopped spreading.
Kearney Rain Garden Workshop and Installation
Posted under Kearney, Residents by Kearney, no comments 22 AugOn Thursday, September 15, from 9am – 4pm the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Stormwater Management Team and the City of Kearney will be hosting a rain garden workshop and training in Kearney. The event will include classroom instruction followed by a hands on installation. The goal of this workshop is to provide hands on training and information, with the end result being a completed example of a working rain garden citizens can see in action.
- Do not miss your opportunity to attend this free workshop. Please complete and return this flyer by
Residential Application
September 13th.
Kearney RG workshop flyer
Scottsbluff Receives Stormwater Projects Grant
Posted under Scottsbluff by Scottsbluff, no comments 30 Jun
Scottsbluff's first demonstration rain garden
The City of Scottsbluff has been selected by the Nebraska Forest Service as a member community in the Greener Nebraska Towns (GNT) Program. This program is designed to improvethe long-term sustainability of member communities. Scottsbluff will be receiving a total of $55,000 in grant funding, $30,000 of which will be allocated to tree planting, and $25,000 of which is to be spent on waterwise landscaping and stormwater management. We will be implementing demonstration projects that incorporate sustainable landscaping, tree planting, and stormwater best management practices, such as rain gardens, bioswales, and porous pavement. We will also be working with residents to plant trees and improve irrigation efficiency. Stay tuned to hear more about everything that we will be undertaking as part of this initiative!
Note: This post describes the rain garden demonstration project which was installed in Scottsbluff in July 2010 with the help of the UNL Extension Stormwater Team. The garden is located on the corner of 19th Street and Avenue B.
Step 1 Choosing the Site
Rain gardens are designed to catch runoff from roofs, driveways, streets, sidewalks, or other areas of the lawn. This was an excellent site for a rain garden because of the downspout that drains into the area. Minimum work was needed to channel the runoff into the rain garden.
What is a rain garden?
A rain garden is a garden of native shrubs, perennials, and flowers planted in a small depression, which is generally formed on a natural slope. It is designed to temporarily hold and soak in rain water runoff that flows from roofs, driveways, patios or lawns.
The same rain garden a couple of months later.
This rain garden catches runoff from the roof and gives it time to soak into the soil, where the plants will be able to use it.
By properly disposing of pet waste and household chemicals, we can greatly reduce the amount of harmful substances introduced to our rivers and lakes.
