We’re finally wrapping up our 2-year (but who’s counting?) pilot program that supported green infrastructure projects at homes and in communities. This program was a success, helping us secure funding to continue our green infrastructure programming, and even expanding it to more parts of Hamilton! 
We’re extremely grateful to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for making this program possible, and for being flexible during these unprecedented times. We’d like to extend a thank you to our other funders and partners: Green Communities Canada, RAIN Community Solutions, AVESI Stormwater and Landscape Solutions and the City of Hamilton.
Let’s have a look at the last of our Dundas Home Demonstration Sites!
Our RAIN Coach, Michael worked with each homeowner to find the solution that best suited their property, their needs and their vision. Each had its own unique challenges and opportunities to make catching rain that more exciting! Here’s a spotlight for each project:
Pipe Dream
The first rain garden of the season was a big one! Our RAIN Coach implemented reuse principles to reduce waste on site. An existing o-pipe on site was repurposed, cut and angled into an infiltration pit to feed new plants with rain water. That soil was then incorporated into the rain garden, creating berms that allow the water to slowly spread and infiltrate into the soil.
Scraping By
An AVESI favourite, scrape, shape and plant! This front lawn was completely transformed! First the area was scraped out with a sod cutter to remove the grass then it was shaped with berms to create a bowl that holds water that will eventually infiltrate into the soil and finally native plants that will love to get their feet wet (their roots!) were added!
Ain’t that Swale
For our final Catch the Rain installation Green Venture had a buzzing workbee with AVESI, Action 13 and the Community Permaculture Lab! We found the water in this beautiful pollinator paradise adding a rock swale from an underground pipe, downspout and a rain barrel to a new narrow rain garden. This was a great example of what to do when you’ve already transformed your lawn to garden, but still want to slow and soak up more water. This was a great end to the program not only for the unique design but the opportunity to work as a team!
What are some of the plants we used in these installations?
Here’s a sample of some of the native perennials that will make a splash in your rain garden:
- Fox Sedge
- Canada anemone
- Red columbine
- Butterfly weed
- Pennsylvania sedge
- Buttonbush
- Purple coneflower
- Blue cardinal flower
- Foxglove beardtongue
- Swamp milkweed
- Lance-leaved coreopsis
- Dense blazing star
Looking for more plants? Consider reviewing the Grow Me Instead guide a great way to find native plants swap outs and keep your garden biodiverse. Learn more about native plants, why we plant them, where to find them and some rules of ‘green’ thumb in our Let’s Grow: Choosing + Planting Native Plants blog.
Learn more about how you can install green infrastructure on your own property!
- Read last summer’s blog, a love letter to rain gardens
- Review last fall’s demo projects, inspire you to get started
- Take a tour of green infrastructure projects in Hamilton, more inspiration
- Learn about NATURhoods, there’s a workshop TONIGHT (July 6, 2021) – so register NOW
We may be wrapping things up, but our water team here at Green Venture wanted to go out with a bang because let’s face it—when it rains, it pours. Keep up with the Extreme Green Makeover, as we help community spaces work toward the greening of their dreams!
