Intro to Permaculture and Rain Gardens

Small & Slow Rain Gardens
Join us for a one‑hour Zoom introduction to permaculture rain gardens—beautiful, functional landscape features that slow down stormwater, let it sink into the soil, and naturally filter pollutants through bioremediation. You’ll learn how small and slow solutions can transform runoff into stored energy that nourishes plants, supports wildlife, and protects local waterways.

We’ll explore how rain gardens work as living filtration systems: soil layers trap sediments, plant roots and rhizomes support beneficial bacteria, and native wetland species help break down contaminants before water returns to the watershed. You’ll also learn simple steps for reading your site, identifying water flow patterns, and choosing climate‑appropriate plants that thrive in wet‑to‑dry cycles.

Whether you’re designing a backyard feature, improving a community garden, or adding resilience to an urban space, you’ll leave with practical guidance to begin creating a rain garden that slows water, stores energy, and cleans the water as it moves through the landscape.

Presenter: Carol Burton, Director of Permaculture