In 2013, a rain garden was installed on a slope in Brooking Park to briefly hold/soak in water that flows off surrounding impervious and land surfaces at the Scott County Extension office. A carefully planned rain garden looks like an ordinary flower garden, but by 2021 the rain garden had become overgrown, filled invasive plants. Master Gardener volunteers, along with the horticulture agent, renovated the garden, this time with thoughtfully chosen non-invasive, native perennials that survived the ebb and flow of rain water. Additionally, those plants were chosen for their ability to provide a sustainable habitat for pollinators with nectar and pollen-rich plants.  

Research shows rain gardens effectively remove up to 90% chemicals and up to 80% sediment that run off impervious surfaces and lawns, keeping those pollutants from flowing in to local waterways. Flooding is reduced as 30% more water soaks into the ground. Also, pollinator populations benefit from the nectar, pollen, and larval food sources, offsetting habitat alteration and fragmentation