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The Rooftop to River Rain Garden Contest is a fun way to beautify your property and protect and enhance the quality of your local streams and lakes at the same time.
How to Enter your Free Registration. Download and print the Registration Form (a pdf file). The registration deadline has been extended to August 31, 2008. Fill out the registration form and send it by mail or fax, or drop it off at the office of:
Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District
1193 South Brownell Rd, Suite 35, Williston, VT 05495
Phone: 802-865-7895 x104
Fax: 802-865-7947
Email: Ashley.Lidman@vt.nacdnet.net
Each registered rain garden contestant will receive:
- An invitation to a FREE Rain Garden Workshop.
The next workshop will be held on Wednesday, July 30th, from 5:30-8:30pm in Burlington at the Francis J. O'Brien Water Treatment
Facility. There will be a lecture at 5pm and we will install a rain
garden at 6:30pm. The Water Treatment Facility is located at the end
of Lake Street, next to the Moran Plant. There is free parking at this
location after 5pm. If you plan to attend, you MUST contact Emma
Melvin at 802-859-3086 x305 or emelvin@uvm.edu to let her know that you will be participating. Other workshops are currently scheduled for August.
Please check back for details.
- A published copy of the new 2008 Vermont Rain Garden Manual and Plant List Insert. However, these can be downloaded for free by clicking on The Manual and The Plant List Insert in the following table.
Vermont Rain Garden Manual with Plant List Free Download |
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The Manual
(a pdf file, size 2.2Mb)
20 Pages, Full Color Prints on 8.5x11 paper |
The Plant List Insert
(a pdf file, size .2Mb)
(Pages 11-14 of the manual)
Prints on 11x17 paper.
(This can be viewed without printing if unable to print the large size paper.)
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- Personal on-site technical guidance from a local expert. Free technical support will be provided by Emma Melvin of the UVM Extension. To schedule a site visit, please contact her at emelvin@uvm.edu or 802-859-3086 x305.
Judging Criteria: Six division winners will be chosen based on the categories below:
Rain Garden Judging Criteria
(one winner in each division) |
Originality: |
Creative use of plants; Color; Form; Texture |
Native Plants: |
Use of regionally native plants |
Best Storm water Reduction: |
Best use of space; Effective stormwater collection from multiple impervious surfaces |
Previously Installed: |
Best rain garden installed prior to 2008 |
Best in Chittenden County: |
Best overall rain garden in Chittenden County |
Best outside of Chittenden County: |
Best rain garden outside Chittenden County |
Prizes: Contest prizes may include gift certificates, cash, merchandise, and services donated from local merchants and foundations. Actual prizes to be announced soon.
Timeline:
August 31: Registration deadline
Week of September 1st: Judging period
Mid-September: Award ceremony
Costs:
The cost of a rain garden varies depending on:
- who does the work,
- the size of the garden,
- where the plants come from,
- the planting density.
If you purchase the plants and materials and do all the labor, the cost will be roughly $4-$6 per sq ft.
If you hire a professional to design and install the garden, it will cost roughly $10-$14 per sq ft.
The property owner will be responsible for the installation costs and maintenance of the rain garden.
Requirement: The property owner will be required to sign an agreement stating that the garden will function as a rain garden for a minimum of two years.
Photographs: Contestants are required to take before and after photos of their rain garden as well as a few to record the installation process.
Survey: Registered contestants will receive a survey to help us learn about the successes and obstacles they faced when designing and installing their rain garden. The survey information will be used to design incentives that will make it easier and more convenient for community members to install rain gardens in the future. |