In 2019, the Red Oak Rain Garden on the University of Illinois campus was expanded and renovated to improve the garden’s functionality. The approximately 9,200-square-foot garden has 9,000 plants, representing 52 species. The garden’s design was created with minimal maintenance in mind. This proof of concept was tested by COVID-19 restrictions when volunteers were not allowed to work in the garden.
With no spring volunteers, the low-maintenance garden thrived and set the standard for campus sustainable rainwater management landscapes. By October of 2020, when restrictions were lifted, the garden, which has a capacity of nearly 27,000 gallons, was allowed to serve as a campus education venue once again. About 30 horticulture and landscape architecture students helped plant in the fall, gaining hands-on experience with large-scale installations.
The project team partnered with other researchers and was awarded an Extension Collaboration Grant to create an online Green Stormwater Infrastructure Toolkit.
More information at go.illinois.edu/RORG.
