Children's Rain Garden Dedicated

Colorful garden for kids captures their imaginations and inspires environmental action

Who:  The Virginia Zoo

What:  Dedication of the Children’s Rain Garden

When:  Wednesday, September 23 at 10 a.m.

Where:  The Children’s Rain Garden is located near the Red Panda exhibit. The Virginia Zoo is located at 3500 Granby Street in Norfolk.

Why:  Through design and use of selected plants, rain gardens capture and control storm water run-off. The garden’s sloped sides slow down the momentum of water to prevent overflow and eliminate erosion while allowing plant roots to filter and clean the water before it drains to nearby waterways. Rain gardens also attract birds, bees, butterflies and other wildlife.

The Zoo will use the Children’s Rain Garden to teach school children about pollution prevention in a fun and beautiful setting. The goal is to inspire children to be stewards of their environment. This garden features colorful planters and decorations that demonstrate how items can be reused instead of thrown into a landfill. These delightful additions include bowling balls painted to look like ladybugs and planters made from old tires. The Children’s Rain Garden compliments the Zoo’s larger Rain Garden located near the entrance Plaza and is one more component to the Zoo’s commitment to environmental protection and education.

How:  A generous donation from the Corbin B. White and Evelyn C. White Family Fund made the garden possible.  Design, construction and installation were performed by the Harborfront Garden Club, Norfolk Master Gardener Water Stewards and the Virginia Zoo.

For more information about rain gardens or the Zoo’s horticulture program, call Mark Schneider, Horticulturist, at (757) 441-2374, ext. 249.        

09/16/09