Volunteers to start Legacy Trails rain garden this weekend

A $5,000 grant from the Missouri Conservation Heritage Foundation will provide a native plant rain garden project at the Legacy Trails subdivision, with work to start Oct. 11.

Located at 3800 N. FR 143, Legacy Trails is a Habitat for Humanity of Spring- field low-impact development featuring earth-friendly elements such as native-plant landscaping, curbless roads, and porous pavement.

Downspout disconnection within Legacy Trails diverts runoff from gutter downspouts into small bioretention areas or rain gardens, reducing the volume of runoff entering storm drains.

The grant money will provide Habitat homeowners in Legacy Trails with plants for their rain gardens, tools, supplies for volunteers and educational signage.

"Constructing these gardens will engage homeowners, encourage a greater appreciation for (the gardens') beauty and environmental benefits and complement other existing low-impact development design strategies at Legacy Trails," said Kathy Davis, a horticulturist spearheading the rain garden planting project, in a news release.

"Rain gardens use dense root systems to capture, filter, store and then release storm water slowly."

Working with about 70 volunteers, including Wal-Mart employees, Drury University students and Willard Mount Zion Presbyterian Church youth, Davis is to begin the planting process on Saturday.

For home improvement news and coverage of the Home Builders Association of Greater Springfield's 2008 Home Remodeling Expo, see In Focus: Residential Remodeling in the Oct. 13 issue of SBJ. [[In-content Ad]]