Even though spring is still months away, it is not too early to think creating a garden that is the envy of your neighbors this spring. All you need is a little bit of imagination and a rain garden.
The Clean Water Campaign has partnered with local governments and the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service to present a workshop on constructing a rain garden. These free “how to” workshops are taking place in January and February throughout the region.
An estimated 20 percent of water consumed by the average household is used outdoors. Rain gardens reduce the need for supplemental watering by capturing runoff from roofs or driveways and diverting it to gardens planted in low-lying areas to slowly soak into the soil. As an added benefit, rain gardens reduce the amount of storm water runoff and pollutants in the runoff that enter local streams.
The workshops are scheduled as follows:
· Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m., DeKalb Cooperative Extension Service Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur. Cost: $5.
· Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m., South Fulton Annex, 5600 Stonewall Tell Road, College Park. Free.
· Feb. 22, 7 p.m., Cobb County Water Quality Training Laboratory, 662 South Cobb Drive, Marietta. Free.
Registration for the workshops is required. To register, visit www.cleanwatercampaign.com or call 404-463-3259.
The Clean Water Campaign is a cooperative, multi-agency public education initiative spearheaded by local governments in metro Atlanta, supported by the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District and managed by the Atlanta Regional Commission. Its mission is to build awareness of water quality problems and solutions in the Atlanta region. For more information about the Clean Water Campaign, contact Kelley O'Brien at 404-463-3259.
