Rain Garden

Rain gardens, also called bioretention facilities, is a green infrastructure designed to collect surface runoff, so that it has a chance to infiltrate naturally.  It helps to reduce stormwater runoff, which pollute surface waters such as streams, lakes and ultimately the ocean, and recharge groundwater.  

Our rain garden takes water from the water from the school roof.  

Through a NJDEP grant through Rutgers University Cooperative Extension's Green Infrastructure Program, two rain gardens were built and planted at MHS during the summer of 2020.  The MHSSI met virtually to discuss the what kinds of plants we would like see in the garden, and we met on a hot summer morning in July to plant.  

Thank you to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension and Mr. Chris Perez  for doing all of the planning, excavation and building of the rain garden.  We are grateful for this gift and looking forward to watching it blossom into a beautiful, yet functional infrastructure on campus, and utilizing it educate the Metuchen community about the importance of stormwater management.  We also like to thank Dr. Rosann Kamin (Spanish teacher at MHS, now retired) for initiating the project and Mr. Peragallo for the support and encouragement.  

Monarch butterfly larvae in the front rain garden 9/8/2020

The following are the plants that were planted in the MHS garden so far.  We are hoping to add some more once the current plants have a chance to grow in!

All of the plants in the gardens are native to New Jersey.  Encouraging the growth of native vegetation attracts native wildlife.  They also will require less maintenance (thus leading to conservation of energy and resources) because they are adapted to the New Jersey climate and soil.  

MHS Front:

MHS Rear: 

Edgar Middle School also installed a rain garden as well!

Their rain garden is designed to collect water from the surrounding impermeable surfaces.  

Edgar MS:

  • Carex grayi
  • Carex laxiculmis bunny blue
  • Carex plantaginea
  • Chelone Tiny Tortuga
  • Clethra alnifolia compacta
  • Echinacea purpurea
  • Ilex glabra compacta
  • Ilex glabra Shamrock
  • Phlox divircata blue moon
  • Phlox May breeze
  • Rosa carolina
  • Rudbeckia fulgida Little Goldstar
  • Viburnum acerifolium

OMG!

Something terrible has happened!  In early May 2023, when the garden should be green with new growth, we discovered that most of the plants were dead!  It looks obviously like someone has prayed herbicides on the garden.  Who would do this?!?!  Apparently, a pest control company, hired by the district is at fault.  We are not sure if we are able to replace the plants, but we will try!  The irises seemed to have survived the spraying, and the inkberries in the back, but most of other plants are all gone.  

The Environmental Club is going to pursue getting these plants replaced.