First Rain Garden at Thomas P. Hughes School

Berkeley Heights has taken a first step toward its goal of establishing rain gardens on public property within the Township. On September 2nd and 3rd, 2009, a group of volunteers planted a rain garden at the Thomas P. Hughes Elementary School grounds next to the playground’s new swings. The garden will not only capture runoff water from the adjacent driveway, but it will also add beauty to the site and serve as an educational tool for the children.

Rain Gardens resemble regular gardens; the difference is in the depth of the excavation and the location on the site. They are designed to capture and filter the runoff water, reduce the amount of stormwater that goes into the drain, and, by allowing water to slowly infiltrate the ground, they recharge the groundwater supply. Rain gardens allow 30% more water to soak into the ground than a regular lawn. They are recommended in the New Jersey Administrative Code for Residential Site Improvement Standards as part of stormwater management strategy.

The Hughes’ School rain garden has an approximate area of 500 sq. ft. and is planted with a variety of native plants. These plants are adapted to the soil and weather conditions of the area, therefore they require less water and care once established. They also provide a natural habitat for birds and butterflies.

A number of volunteers made this garden possible. The funding for the supplies was provided by the Hughes School PTO and an ExoonMobil grant, which came through the Berkeley Heights Environmental Commission. The labor was all volunteered as follows:

• - Location and size of the garden by Madeline Flahive DiNardo, Union County Agricultural Agent and Jillian Thompson, Program Associate Water Resources Program , both from Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
• - Excavation work by Berkeley Heights Board of Education Buildings and Grounds Department under the guidance of Anthony Amiano;
• - Planting of the garden by Union County Master Gardeners, including Berkeley Heights’ residents Karen Anzalone and Richard Leister;
• - Design, plant selection, installation, and maintenance of the garden by Kevin Sandt, Betterway Lawncare landscaping company;
• - In addition Berkeley Hardware, Hall’s Garden Center, and Taylor Rental, provided generous support of the project.

We also want to thank Berkeley Hardware, Hall’s Garden Center, and Taylor Rental, for their generous support of the project.