Last weekend, local girl scout, Eliza McCleery, planted a rain garden in Hopewell Borough as her community service “Silver Award” project. Incorporating community service, leadership, planning, and budgeting, a Silver Award project takes over 50 hours of service, leaving a legacy and making a difference in the community.
Capturing rainwater and allowing it to soak naturally into the soil, rain garden can reduce problems with runoff and standing water. In addition, a rain garden can filter and reduce pollutants such as sediments, nutrients, pesticides from lawn applications, and oil from cars and driveways, all of which are common in storm water runoff.
“My plan for my project is to plant a rain garden near the entrance to Hopewell Boro hall so there will be visibility and opportunities for education on the use of native plants and on rain gardens,” explained McCleery.
All the native deer-resistant plantswere donated by Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve and include wild bergamot, black-eyed Susan, New England aster, Indian grass, goldenrod, great blue lobelia, blue flag iris, butterfly weed, and swamp milkweed. Planting guidance was offered by a staff member of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.