LeMoyne is very excited to announce that its new rain garden is complete and helping to manage the rainwater as intended! LeMoyne is grateful to the City of Tallahassee’s TAPP program for providing design guidelines and a grant for the purchase of the plantings. Our friends Donna Lagare, Jody Walthall and Jackson Strauss from Native Nurseries specified and delivered the plants, soil amendments and pine straw, and helped to plant the three River Birch trees which will also offer shade in the summer months.
As LeMoyne developed its Art for Always Master Plan, a major goal was to better manage the stormwater on the property. For decades, unmanaged rainwater flowed off the building roofs and down the sloped property causing erosion in the landscape and splash on the buildings causing wood rot.
To address these challenges, LeMoyne incorporated stormwater skimmers as part of their sustainable solution. These innovative devices work by efficiently filtering out debris, oils, and other pollutants from rainwater runoff before it enters the drainage system. By capturing and removing these contaminants, stormwater skimmers help reduce the overall environmental impact and ensure that water leaving the property is cleaner and safer for nearby ecosystems.
A key advantage of using stormwater skimmers is their ability to improve the long-term health of both the landscape and the buildings. The removal of excess water from roofs and sloped surfaces prevents erosion and reduces the risk of wood rot on building exteriors. Additionally, the skimmers help maintain the integrity of the surrounding green spaces, ensuring that the property remains both visually appealing and environmentally sustainable. To learn more about how stormwater skimmers can enhance your property’s water management system, click here.
By incorporating stormwater skimmers into their master plan, LeMoyne has taken a proactive approach to managing water runoff, preventing damage, and preserving the beauty of their campus. The implementation of these systems represents a significant step toward creating a more sustainable and resilient environment, one that can withstand the challenges posed by stormwater while supporting the health of the surrounding landscape and infrastructure.
When dear friend Dr. Charlie Rockwood came for a tour of LeMoyne and saw the water issues at LeMoyne he commented that he had to help get this fixed so that the beautiful sculptures in the garden did not have to suffer in the “swamp jungle” anymore. With a generous donation from Dr. Rockwood, new gutters, downspouts and strategically placed underground piping, was installed around the Meginnis-Munroe House protecting the building and making the new gardens much less susceptible to erosion.
So where does all the collected water go? To slow down the water flow and help keep most of it on site, LeMoyne designed and installed a beautiful rain garden integrated into its landscaping. The design adds landscape interest to the gardens and serves as an educational component demonstrating how functional and beautiful rain gardens are while helping to reduce storm water runoff and improve ground water quality.