HomeMy WebLinkAbout2014 07-09 Rain garden at daycare halts flooding, prompts learning MAPLEWOOD REVIEWRa ingarden. at daycare
Joshua Nielsen
news editor -
halts 1100C ing�proms learning
the ground and -eventually are: and how they are usefu
reaches an underground pipe.' in controlling erosion. He
Nelson says after a period of said he had fun with the kids,
A project to correct drain-
F } y F # 1*[i w �s�r _., s r 5
syr`. -r3 'tet
about 24 hours the vCrater xs "The were reall fantas-
y
age problems- turned into a;�
:,�'y%y. grµ -'F? _r}Fa�`: k:
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r Ey.G� E� I. F -}'
Flo
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released through the pipe into tic to work with, he says.
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,
learning experience for some
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a nearby pond after much oft s:nporant to get the
"It's
p int -sized kids at a daycare
4 r
t� �� ;,. .: .�` ! � `` r - .�
the contaminants have been .younger generation in�iexested
center in .Oakdale,
t h
filtered out, A valves stem in learnin about. the im or
y g p
'The parking lot at CarolgW
r
controls the amount of ,water tante of this,
.
Matheys Center for Children
Safi i 5 ,'. �' � i
� . - ,
released from the collection Penn says every child at the
&, Families -- located just
r,
area. daycare, some as young as,
est of Highway -.120 n 4 d
eo r
Nelson also ins ailed ' aver were able. to plant at least one
Street North sits in a low;
1.,500 square feet of perme. plant.in the rain garden.
lying area that was prone to
L.4
s{ i ti:t
able paveirs in the parking lot, "They enjoyed it. Kids love
flooding after rainstorms.
further addn to the 'storm to la in. the dirt," Nelson.
g P y a
;Carol 1Viatheys executive
water management. system.. added. z4
director Stacie Penn says she
y
, t;
The .porous material keeps
contacted, the .city, last year
� ... ';
the parking lot from flooding Gardening has roots
'
asking what could be done
reduces runoff -and filters out at,daycare
to mitigate the water issues.
City. officials put her in touch
submitted photo pollutants and soil. Discovering ' the benefits
Nelco Landscaping staff got the kids from Carol Matheys Center of growing fresh produce are
with. the, Washington County
for Children & Families Involved with planting native plants in the kids chip in and learn part of the nonprofit. day-'
Conservation District, which
daycare's recently, Completed rain garden in Oakdale. Penn says Nelsen:was eager care's curriculum of having
provided a grant to. install .a
yards; of material was exca- dens, .Nelson explains, is to share. his .knowledge of 'fun while 1ear�aing.
rain garden along the eastern
-
vated . for the rain :.garden be of their longer roots, storm water management and . ' "The whole learning pro-'
edge of the parking lot.
that features over 700 native which allow water to pereo- , native plants with the .kids at cess with. the rain gardon has
Maplewood; -based N e l c o
late into the soil. In contrast Carol -Mathes solidified our ardenin ro-
plants. a Y • g g p.
Landscaping was 'hired.,and
recently finished the,' job.
«you want to use a lot of most commonly planted non- "He came highly recom- gram," Fenn says.
native plants --that's the idea native grasses have compact mended (by the Washington She says the daycare started)
Ne .co owner Brian Nelson
'was
to bring it back to what.` roots that allow water to. Conservation: District}," she the .gardening program for. its!
said it. a . challenging
.it used:' to. be. Native- plants quickly runoff.says. "He did a great job and'.kids a fever years ago, -when
project due to the amount of
grow better, need. less water- - . The daycare's rain garden his willingness to ' work with teacher Rebecca Wal z ak
heavy clay soil on the _prop-
and compete well against filled with native plants cap- kids was equally great." planted a vegetable garden:
erty, but :says he's pleased .other
with the way the rain gardenAnother
plant species;" tures stormwater running Nelson held small instruc= onsite.
'
turned out.
reason -native through much of the prop- ;.tional classes so the you The small• edible garden'
In total, some "200 cubicr
plants are used in rain .gar- erty. The water seeps -into sters could learn about plant -
ing, and' what native plants see Rain Garden on page 3r
r ain arden4.6
i t�ontlnued.#rom.p�e 1_lar attention, from the .initial plant-
ng; weeding and watering,
.to
wvalzak .says. while most kids enjoy
has fruits, vegetables:: and herbs =- the . arden,-, there. are around ; "2a-:!
sweet potatoes, tomatoes•;: ' gpeppers ..
sweet. peas, corn, waterxnYon, diYi reen thumbs" -.that like helping out
`main-
with most .of the planting and
ana� P,��►'�ing, . ,
Walzalr says it's an e.arlY opportu• : ,tenance.
ve :all .gotten good at not.nutxt�on
nity to teach', young children,:about... , :They
and .establish': iYfe.-xo.n picking, the flowexs,. she -.says with a
.Ong
healthy. eating Habits. Iaugh:
AnotheX. Tlus, Walzak says, is ,that .
it also teaches tlemz
rn .:patience, during harvest season kids get tb
since 'it -takes a while for the food to.:0.
the :foods
bring. borne: some . of fresh .
grow before they --can eat it,"says.
they..:.help :grow .to, bare . with their
`during
eisri says the: summer kids
families.. .
are able to: enjoy the garden's bounty
duxxng meals that they help,prepare:
shun .N�eZsen can be, reacher rxt
The oun st rs :also learn aha t
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Thee 0.14' s .deed regu,
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