Stormwater Demonstration Garden in Orange County
Spring
Boulders, stepping stones & gravel (March/2019) Garden age: 0 Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0- Description
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Name: Stormwater Demonstration Garden in Orange County
Open to the public: Yes
County: Orange
Address: 106 E Margaret Ln, Hillsborough, NC 27278
Website: https://emgv.ces.ncsu.edu/2020/09/stormwater-demo-garden/
USDA Hardiness Zone: 8a (2023)
Extension Demonstration Garden? No
Approximate year the garden/landscape was established: 2018
What to look for: What was once a barren, severely eroded patch in the middle of a parking lot has been transformed into a beautiful garden full of mostly native plants, butterflies and bees. This lush garden is the Courthouse Garden, located behind the Orange County Courthouse between the Sheriff’s Office and the Farmer’s Market Pavilion. The garden offers passersby the opportunity to slow down for a moment, step across a pedestrian stone path, breathe in the spicy scent of African blue basil, and enjoy a moment of green in the midst of a busy day.
The Courthouse Garden is a Stormwater Demonstration garden, a project of the2018 trainee class of the Orange County Extension Master Gardenerâ„ volunteers. The Gardeners tackled environmental challenges including 80% stormwater runoff, severe erosion, highly compacted, poor quality soil that would only support patchy weeds, and heavy foot traffic that damaged plants and compacted soil. The gardeners integrated stormwater management, garden design, and plant selection principles, and rolled up their sleeves to transform this site from barren to beautiful.
Horticulture: The Extension Master Gardenerâ„ volunteers partnered with Boy Scout Troop #438 to dig out poor soil, and the County to bring in high quality soil and compost to support healthy plant growth. They installed a one-foot gravel edge around the garden to capture runoff from rains and trucks, dug swales, and chose plants that capture stormwater and provide year-round interest. They secured plant and rock donations from the North Carolina Botanical Garden, area businesses, and plant divisions from their own gardens. The new garden has no stormwater runoff.
List of Plants in this Garden: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/find_a_plant/?tag=stormwater-demo-garden-orange-co
Spring
Boulders, stepping stones & gravel (March/2019) Garden age: 0 Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![1-foot gravel edging to capture runoff (March/2019)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture2_3DxWoZh7A2P1.png)
Spring
1-foot gravel edging to capture runoff (March/2019) Garden age: 0 Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![Garden at 14 months (July/2020)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture6_d0pwz8D2yepE.png)
Summer
Garden at 14 months (July/2020) Garden age: 14 months Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![Highly compacted soil with 80% runoff (September/2018)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture1_gE1gmRqZkHHI.jpeg)
Fall
Highly compacted soil with 80% runoff Garden age: 0 Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![0% runoff at 6 months (October/2019)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture4_T0wFS1eQ0Hob.png)
Fall
0% runoff at 6 months (October/2019) Garden age: 6 months Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0Spring
Boulders, stepping stones & gravel (March/2019) Garden age: 0 Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![1-foot gravel edging to capture runoff (March/2019)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture2_3DxWoZh7A2P1.png)
Spring
1-foot gravel edging to capture runoff (March/2019) Garden age: 0 Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![Garden at 14 months (July/2020)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture6_d0pwz8D2yepE.png)
Summer
Garden at 14 months (July/2020) Garden age: 14 months Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![Highly compacted soil with 80% runoff (September/2018)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture1_gE1gmRqZkHHI.jpeg)
Fall
Highly compacted soil with 80% runoff Garden age: 0 Meg Molloy CC BY 4.0![0% runoff at 6 months (October/2019)](https://s3.amazonaws.com/eit-planttoolbox-prod/media/images/garden_imgs/Picture4_T0wFS1eQ0Hob.png)