Summer Green Team 101: Au Revoir!

Well, this is it, our last newsletter as the Summer Senior Green Team Members. We're using this opportunity to tell you about another important part of our Rain Garden!

Last time, we wrote about the terraces, which decrease runoff and limit erosion. Possibly more important than this infrastructure is the array of plants, which we meticulously chose to serve in the battle against soil runoff. We chose these plants because they’re drought-tolerant. Once established, a drought-tolerant plant can survive on average rainfall with little-to-no supplemental water. 

The first terrace from the bottom has coral bells; the ‘Lime Marmalade’ and ‘Northern Exposure’ variants are planted in alternating fashion. The second terrace is home to inkberries, our small evergreen shrubs. The third terrace is where cinnamon ferns are planted, smaller and more delicate than the rest. Finally, the fourth terrace contains mountain laurel, a shrub that is larger than the inkberries. Liriope, a grass-like plant, is scattered where the terraces turn to slopes.

These drought-tolerant plants tend to have deep root systems, which retain water and keep the soil in place, preventing erosion. However, when a plant is first put in the ground, it can take a while for its roots to spread throughout the soil. This can be especially difficult for plants that were previously potted—like ours!— as they never had the chance to spread their roots before.

As a park user, it's important to make sure you're helping us keep our rain garden healthy and safe! Here are a few ways to bring good energy to the park!

  • We appreciate your furry friends, but please keep your pets on leashes during on-leash hours, between 9am and 9pm. This is to ensure safety for your pet, other people, and the wildlife they interact with.

  • Watch your step! We love our plants, and would like to keep them strong and healthy. Be careful around plants and avoid stepping on them.

  • There are different lawns for different purposes throughout the park. Refer to the signs around the park, near each lawn, to determine which lawn would suit your activities the best.

Before we go, we’d like to say there’s another Green Team cohort approaching soon. There will be plenty of fun and engaging newsletters from our future members! If you’re aged 14 through 19, we would love to pass this site over to you! Sign up here, if this is thrilling to you!

With kind regards,
Jasper, Miles, Monica
Senior Green Team Members

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Summer Green Team 101