Our mission is to protect, manage and improve the water resources of the Capitol Region Watershed District.
INSIDE
2 Art in the watershed 3 Summer weather and Como Lake 3 New pervious parking lot BACK Green infrastructure for water Capitol Region Watershed District Fall 2009
Gardeners share their love of plants with the neighborhood by Alyssa Neeb, CRWD Education and Outreach Intern
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f you pass the rain garden at the intersection of McKinley and Frankson Streets in the Como neighborhood, you may have noticed a pair of women removing weeds on a sunny afternoon, or tending to small plants peeking out from melting snow in early spring. You may have thought they worked for the city of St. Paul, or CRWD; but they are your neighbors. Sharon Shinomiya and Valerie Cunningham both have particular interests that continue to draw them out to help tend to the rain garden. Sharon, a 14-year Como resident, has always been interested in gardening. In addition to volunteering at the rain garden across the street from her home, she also tends the Midway Parkway gardens near the entrance to Como Park. Sharon especially enjoys her work in the community gardens because it gives her an opportunity to spend time outdoors, and she’d “much rather use that time to do something, rather than just sit around.” She also finds the gardening time fun and social since many neighbors stop by to chat or ask questions about the plants and creatures found in the garden. Sharon also has an interest in research and writing and spends free time tracing her family’s genealogy, as well as exploring the history of Como Park. Her effort in the rain gardens is certainly something that can be written into the history of the neighborhood itself. Val became interested in gardening about 15 years ago when the popular interest in annuals began to transition to perennials. An avid birder and member of Audubon Society,Val has been busy this year conducting bird tours and surveys, some of which call for her to rise very early. She enjoys the early morning sun as it appears over the native prairie in natural areas where many bird species are found. She also finds that the rain gardens in her neighborhood are provid-
Sharon Shinomiya in the Frankson McKinley garden.
ing additional habitat and food for birds, animals and butterflies. In her own yard,Val plants species that provide food, habitat or both to these critters. Her interest in birding and seeing other neighbors enjoying the garden draws her to work in the rain garden. Both women feel the rain garden has added aesthetic appeal to the neighborhood, and also serves to increase the quality of stormwater going to Como Lake. When the idea of rain gardens was first introduced in 2005, there was speculation about their value to the neighborhood. Today,Val and Sharon say that their neighbors often comment on the gardens’ beauty and benefits: “The bluestem [little bluestem, a Minnesota native grass] is a knockout,”Val explains, mentioning that passers often ask about grasses that retain their beauty throughout fall and winter. She hopes neighbors will notice and appreciate the native plants, and decide to incorporate them into their own urban landscapes. Sharon and Val first became involved with Capitol Region Watershed District and its effort to maintain rain gardens in neighborhoods in 2005, when rain garden plans were introduced. Both women volunteer biweekly to supplement work done by District staff. Their careful work is apparent in the gardens’ beauty, and is greatly appreciated by CRWD and neighbors.
Capitol Region Watershed District 1410 Energy Park Drive, Suite 4 • St. Paul, MN 55108 • 651-644-8888 • www.capitolregionwd.org