A Greener Future for Rose Circle Park ✨

 

With apartment complexes, developments, and impervious surfaces popping up at an alarming rate here in Atlanta, green spaces all over the city are at risk of increased flooding and erosion. Because of this, some public parks are taking action to promote infiltration and mimic the natural water cycle. And that includes Rose Circle Park!

Not long ago, we led volunteers in installing multiple fruit tree guilds at Rose Circle Park in the West End of Atlanta. So, when the park received a grant from Park Pride, they knew they could call on us to bring their goals to fruition.

Parts of the park would flood and cause a muddy mess, decreasing navigability, safety, and positive aesthetics. They needed to find solutions that would boost biodiversity, decrease stormwater runoff, and improve drainage. Naturally, the plan to install rain gardens took hold!

 

Our tractor’s backhoe excavator is perfect for digging rain garden depressions.

We opted for a total of three extra-large rain gardens that would direct stormwater into centralized areas rather than spreading all over the park and creating mucky, hard-to-navigate areas.

Luckily, we have our trusty tractor for large-scale stormwater management. “Betty” the Bobcat allowed us to make quick work of the excavation. The large depressions are filled with gravel and then soil, which will help with infiltration and nurture our native plants.

 

 

Since these rain gardens cover such a large footprint, it’s a good idea to include plants that will spread. We planted some rhizome spreaders (these plants multiply by underground stems that reach laterally) including cut-leaf coneflower and Southern shield fern. Rhizomatous species that form dense colonies will hold the soil in place and prevent erosion.

As for grasses, we included pink muhly and rush. These two natives can handle the intense highs and lows of water saturation within rain gardens. Some rush species can grow just fine in consistently standing water.

And with that, Rose Circle Park is ready for the rain! The park is not only better prepared for the floods of the future, but our critters have more habitat and biodiversity, and our park visitors have more visual interest to enjoy. We’d love for you to come by and see the park for yourself!