Youth Rain Action Storyboard
Post 10: How It All Continues
Read about our first steps first (1-6)
- Step 7: Choose the type of garden you would want
In our rain garden project, we have broken up into 3 groups. A formal British garden, a pollinator garden and wild/natural garden.
The primary focus is the capturing of rain, but the differences are the flowers and the plants that will be planted. A British Garden would focus more on aesthetic appeal. A pollinator garden would focus more on creating a home for pollinators. And a wild garden would choose plants that are easier to maintain by itself.
- Step 8: Choose the rough outline shape of your garden
Circles, Squares, Triangles. The shape of a garden could be whatever is desired. As soon as the shape is figured out, the placement of trees, rock pathways, stones, benches, and flowers can be placed into the design.
- Step 9: Decide if an inlet is helpful and from where
Your design should include an inlet that will direct water from the drainage area into the garden. It is important that the inlet leads to a rocky area to prevent erosion, and is place somewhere the water will naturally flow through.
- Step 10: Select plants for the rain garden
Mike from Fern Ridge Landscaping, came in and spoke about the types of plants and flowers that would be perfect for a rain garden. From those flowers and plants, we will choose which plants would be best to fit within our respective group gardens.
- Step 11: Start on your blueprint
Finally, when you have everything on rough paper, you can start on a blueprint of a technical drawing. It doesn’t have to be exactly to scale, but roughly have the dimensions on all sides of the garden. You can also add in the rock pathways and the technical names of the plants, flowers and trees and the placement of them as well.
The Youth Rain Action Project is led by Ecosource in partnership with Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the Burnhamthorpe Sustainable Neighbourhood Retrofit Action Plan (SNAP), and Sheridan Nurseries, and is generously supported by the Government of Ontario’s Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund.