TAPPING NATURE'S RAIN DRAINS 
Rain gardens soak up water from your roof, driveway, sidewalk or yard. Slightly different from your typical flower garden, rain gardens have wild flowers and deep-rooted native vegetation that help the ground soak up more water.  Rain gardens help reduce the risk of water pollution by keeping excess water out of sewers and from becoming polluted runoff.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, rain gardens can absorb 30 percent more water than a conventional, well manicured, lawn.  

WHAT DOES THE GRANT PROVIDE?
Plants are provided at a reduced price for your rain garden. Each 2.5 inch pot costs $1.80, about a 50% discount compared to retail prices. Plants must be purchased in quantities of four pots. There are no cash awards and the costs for planning, design and construction of your rain garden are NOT ELIGIBLE for reimbursement.

WHO CAN APPLY FOR THE GRANT?
Any homeowner can apply for this grant. If you are not sure of your status, please call 414.225.2151 or email raingardens@mmsd.com

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF THE GROUP OR PERSON APPLYING FOR THE GRANT?
A completed application. Compliance with all dates above. You must be available on June 23, 2012 between 9:30 and 11:30 am to pick up your rain garden plants. If you will not be available on that day, you need to make arrangements with a friend, neighbor or relative to pick up your plants.
June 23 is the only day plants will be available for pick up.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU PLAN YOUR GARDEN & ORDER YOUR PLANTS:
The grower is requiring that each species of plant is purchased in quantities of 4 for a minimum cost of $7.20.  Example: if you wanted a purple coneflower for your rain garden, you would need to order 4 purple coneflower plants. The grower will not provide plants in quantities of 1, 2, or 3. You will see this change reflected on the order form.

HOW TO DETERMINE THE NUMBER OF PLANTS REQUIRED FOR YOUR RAIN GARDEN:
The number of plants required is typically one per square foot of rain garden installed.
EXAMPLE: If you were to plant a 10 foot by 10 foot rain garden, it would be a 100 square foot rain garden. You would need 100 plants. Each plant costs $1.80.
100 plants multiplied by $1.80 equal $180.00.

AS AN ADDED INCENTIVE:
MMSD will give all grant recipients a 5 lb. bag of Milorganite Garden Care and Agrecol will give five lucky winners, to be randomly chosen, a $20 gift certificate to be redeemed online for their products or services.

When spring storms unleashed billions of gallons of rainfall over the Milwaukee area in 2004, Richard Marklin of Wauwatosa conducted an experiment in his front yard with what he calls "amazing results".

"We had gushers in spring," said Marklin.  Still, the engineering professor at Marquette University wanted to see firsthand how his newly planted rain garden performed when put to the test.  On several occasions, he stepped out in the rain to a corner of his house where a downspout sends water from his roof into the rain garden.  Not knowing if the garden would perform as he expected, Marklin says he was happy with what he saw.  "It's literally like a big sponge," Marklin observed, "No standing water."  His rain garden is on the downhill side of several neighboring properties, which means it collects more than just rain drops from the downspout on his home. 

"So, the fear anybody has that there's going to be standing water is unfounded."