When the Nevin Welcome Center was built, a sustainably focused parking lot and bioswale garden were also constructed. The bioswale garden is designed to slow and clean storm water runoff from the parking lot while providing an attractive landscape which is more ecologically-minded than traditional storm drain systems.
Learn more (two-minute audio)Plants here are able to tolerate both wet and dry conditions. It is densely planted with several cultivars of native switchgrass (Panicum virgatum), along with flowering perennials which add variety and color, and shrubs and small trees for height and structure. Most plants are native to this region.
Our bioswale garden eliminates 78,000 gallons of stormwater runoff each year, reducing runoff by 31%. It also reduces pollutants from reaching nearby waterways, and increases biodiversity and soil health of the area.