Botanical Traditions - Raingarden

The Armadale Primary Raingarden displays a new approach to urban storm water management and landscape design.

This is expressed by the creation of an aesthetic landscape that simultaneously uses indigenous plants while also treating and filtering captured rainwater coming from the roof.

The new landscape area consists of both water treatment and dry garden areas. The treatment garden or Raingarden is the area where the water from the roof is filtered and then collected for discharge back into the stormwater system. The remainder of the garden area is made up of non-irrigated garden beds. All the plants used in the garden are indigenous to the lower Yarra area, with the range of plant varieties creating a number of different habitat niches.

A pathway was constructed to run through the garden so children can use the area and teachers can take groups of students into the area to discuss the importance of keeping stormwater clean. At the furthest end of the path is afeature boulder located within the Raingarden treatment area. Each time it rains, water bubbles through the boulder allowing children to see, feel, and hear the water.

After construction of this area the entire school took part in an Environment Day. Each child at the school planted at least one plant in the garden area. The school keeps buckets under the drinking fountains which capture excess water which is then used to irrigate the garden during the establishment phase, once established the Raingarden will require no additional irrigation.

We have also designed and constructed the Raingardens at Clifton Hill Primary School, St. Johns Primary School and St Bedes in Kew. If your school or organisation is interested in getting a Raingarden there are many funding opportunities available.

As seen in the Stonnington Leader and Melbourne Weekly.

 

Julian Helping the Students Plant		Raingarden Just After Planting