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Rain Garden Update

Utilizing a portion of the grant that we received from the Long Island Community Foundation, we are creating a rain garden near the entrance to the garage/barn parking lot. Rainwater usually pools in this area because it is the lowest elevation point on our Brentwood property. Rain gardens are shallow depressions dug in a lawn and planted with native plants and flowers that allow rainwater to slowly percolate into the ground instead of becoming storm water runoff. Compared with conventional lawns, a rain garden recharges 30% more water into an aquifer. This is especially important here in Suffolk County, where we rely on aquifers for our water supply.
Rusty Schmidt (land ecologist) designed the 2,000 sq. ft. rain garden. The men who work on our grounds prepared the area by removing 15 inches of topsoil. Volunteers from the Suffolk Cornell Cooperative Extension are scheduled to plant the garden. More than 100 native plants and 20 yards of compost will be used. We also will add educational signage to explain the environmental benefits of rain gardens