Rain Garden Plants: Iris sibirica
Rain gardens are functional, ornamental landscape features designed to protect downstream water quality. By capturing stormwater runoff and allowing it to soak into the ground, these gardens...
Category: Water
Rainwater Harvesting Systems Guidance for Schoolyard Applications
Rainwater harvesting is the collection and storage of rainwater from roof surfaces for use in both potable and non-potable applications, and for stormwater, erosion and flood control. Rainwater...
Best Practices for Application of Harvested Rainwater on Edibles
The ancient practice of rainwater harvesting is widely used throughout the world and is gaining popularity in commercial and residential applications in the United States. Rainwater harvesting is...
Cyanobacteria: Understanding Blue-Green Algae’s Impact on Our Shared Waterways
In August 2014, news outlets across the country reverberated with the shocking story that a large harmful algal bloom in Lake Erie had produced a dangerous toxin (microcystin) that threatened the...
An Introduction to Bioswales
Meet Your Bioswale Do you have a linear or curvilinear path that is low-lying and less frequently mowed than surrounding areas? Does it often stay wet and “spongy” when you walk across it? This path...
Rain Garden Plants: Aquilegia canadensis – Eastern Red Columbine
Rain gardens are becoming an increasingly popular option for gardeners looking to create an aesthetically pleasing garden that manages runoff, improves water quality, and provides wildlife habitat....
An Introduction to Native Plants for SC Landscapes
Native plants have evolved in place over time; therefore, these plants tend to be hardy and well-adapted in the residential or commercial landscape. In many cases, established native plants can grow...
Bioretention Cells: A Guide for Your Residents
Meet Your Bioretention Cell Do you have a shallow, low-lying, and landscaped feature in your community that is mostly dry, except for after rain events? Does this area seem as though it was designed...
Rain Garden Plants: Muhlenbergia capillaris – Muhly Grass
A rain garden is a shallow vegetated depression designed to capture stormwater runoff and allow the water to soak into the ground. These gardens function as natural filters that improve water...
Carolina Yards: An Overview of Sustainable Landscaping Practices
The activities we engage in within our own backyard can impact our natural resources. Through sustainable landscaping practices, you can create an aesthetically pleasing landscape in a way that...
Rain Garden Plants: Introduction
Choosing Plants Tolerant of Drought and Flooding This series of factsheets provides in-depth cultural and design-based information for selection and use of rain garden plants. This information helps...
Life Along the Salt Marsh: Protecting Tidal Creeks with Vegetative Buffers
The salt marsh is the transitional area where the rivers meet the sea, comprised of intertidal water bodies in which salinity can range from near ocean strength (30 parts per thousand) to brackish...