A Unique Group Effort Installs A Rain Garden In Lakewood Park

On November 16th, a unique partnership of groups and individuals including the City of Lakewood, Lakewood Historical Society, Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, citizens of Lakewood, and Lakewood Catholic Academy’s Green Team all came together to install a rain garden on the east side of the Oldest Stone House in Lakewood Park. The site was chosen in partnership with the City of Lakewood, Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, and Lakewood Historical Society, who wanted to have better drainage around the Oldest Stone House to better preserve the historical structure’s foundation. After a lot of planning and leadership by Lakewood City Councilman Tom Bullock, the garden was completed with the efforts of these groups.

What is a rain garden? Rain gardens are landscaped areas planted with native plants that enjoy growing in wet soil. The installation of a rain garden is a simple process involving a shovel and a bit of physical energy. A large area of land is not needed for a rain garden, making them ideal for Lakewood residents.   

Why plant a rain garden? Rain gardens are not only a beautiful addition to the landscape, but they provide environmental benefits, such as decreasing stormwater runoff, helping alleviate problems associated with flooding and drainage, recharging ground water, and providing a habitat and food for wildlife, such as birds and butterflies. Rain gardens also have an economic value in that they minimize the need for watering and are easy to maintain. Since native plants are used in rain gardens, fertilizers and pesticides are not needed. 

Native plants are used because they are adapted to our local weather and soil conditions. Native plants also have a relationship with native butterflies, birds and other animals. When choosing plants for your rain garden, consider the height of the plant, bloom time, and color. Use a variety of plants that bloom at different times to create a long flowering season that will provide food and habitat for wildlife all year long. Milkweed is an ideal native plant for rain gardens in that it prefers moist soil and is a food source for the monarch caterpillar and butterfly.

A special thanks to all involved to make this project a reality. Lakewood Catholic Academy’s Green Team, an after school nature club composed of 3rd through 5th graders arrived first, with shovels ready to help with the garden. These students had not only already learned about rain gardens, but voted to help put one in for the community as part of their annual service project. Green Team students learn that wise use of the resources in the environment in which we live includes not only where you live or go to school, but also the community. That is why the Green Team completes service projects annually in all of these areas to better understand that these areas do all connect and influence each other.

The Green Team has been learning about wise use of soil and water and how they interact. Local experts like Todd Houser, Jared Bartley, and education specialists from the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District, worked with the Green Team beginning at their annual meeting in September, where they were able to see displays of soil layers: topsoil, subsoil and weathered rock. The Green Team was able to identify these layers first-hand by making and eating (yes, eating!) the layers of soil from different types of edible ingredients including pudding and worms! It was a fun and memorable lesson. A few months later the Green Team could actually see and touch these layers in the area dug by the City of Lakewood for the installation of the rain garden. Green Team members were eager to help transport, and spread by wheelbarrow, the special soil composed of sand and compost into the rain garden. And then they were able to plant the special water-loving native plants in the garden! The students had fun learning about water, soils, and helping the community. The Green Team Rocks! It will take a few years for the rain garden to become fully grown, but it certainly will be fun to watch it grow!

A hardy group of Lakewood residents finished the soil transport, planting and mulching.

Lakewood now joins some 22 other neighboring cities in having a rain garden. We hope you will visit ours in Lakewood Park.

If you are interested in having your very own rain garden, see Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District’s website at: http://www.cuyahogaswcd.org/grantfunded-raingardens.htm, where “A Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners,” which includes instructions and a list of suitable native plants, can be downloaded.

For more information on LCA’s Green Team, contact Marianne Quasebarth Usiak at greenteam@lakewoodcatholicacademy.com