Rain Garden & Bioswale Project

From the Field

If you’ve been to Winton Woods recently, you may have seen the new rain garden and bio-swale areas near Winton Centre and Kestrel Point. You may also know that it was a huge volunteer effort, engaging both REI and US Bank as corporate partners to achieve such an  incredible result.

What you may not know is the tremendous behind-the-scenes effort by the Great Parks Landscaping team. Landscape Manager Jerry Frankenhoff led the bed design and plant selection process, which was no small feat! Over 2,500 native plants — 8 varieties of grasses, sedges and reeds; 23 varieties of forbs; and 4 types of shrubs — were selected, sourced and plotted. On the actual event day, the Landscaping team placed the plants and assisted the volunteers who planted the 7,200 square feet of bed area.

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The Landscape and Operations staff were critical to the project, and their organization, supervision and labor both got things going and ensured that everything moved smoothly throughout the volunteer events. Crews set up and staged plants before the volunteers arrived, and they were watering plants and cleaning the parking lot after everyone had left.

Volunteers provided the help that would’ve taken us days (or weeks) to do on our own, and we appreciate their help more than we can say. The other unsung heroes of the day, however, were the ones who went home the dirtiest with smiles still on their faces!

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Jackie O’Connell, Operations Superintendent