A fire station seems like an odd place for a workshop on rain gardens, but Georgetown's Fire Station No. 3 is a natural choice.
People attending the free March 6 workshop will be able to see the nine rain gardens that surround the station.
With a $456,000 federal grant, the grounds were transformed last year into a showplace of environmentally sensitive stormwater management.
Besides the rain gardens, there are pervious surfaces that let rain drain into underground holding tanks.
As part of the grant, the fire station is required to show off its features to help spread information about dealing with stormwater runoff. CDP Engineers, the company that designed the features, will explain its work after the workshop, which is sponsored by the Bluegrass Rain Garden Alliance.
A rain garden is a shallow depression in the ground that catches water that runs off roofs and driveways, and holds it for a while. That allows the water to soak into the ground instead of rushing to a storm sewer. The slow flow through soil and roots results in better water quality.
At the workshop, participants will learn how to find the right spot in their yards for a rain garden, and what types of plants grow best and are best for the environment.
