Annville Free Library Rain Garden

Where water is purified, and where birds, bees, and butterflies come to feast.

The library’s land development plan required a stormwater management system. The rain garden is part of that plan. Water runoff from the library’s roof and gutters channels to the garden, slowly filters through the ground and returns to the Quittapahilla Watershed, Swatara Creek, the Susquehanna River, and other tributaries to the Chesapeake Bay. A Pennsylvania American Water Environmental Grant funds plants for the rain garden.

Below is a rendering of the initial vision for the rain garden.

From rubble to rain garden

Pictured below is the site of the rain garden as expansion of the library began in 2022. The site included a shed, an old sidewalk, and trees and plants that required removal to prepare for construction of the addition. Many perennial plants were sold or given to community members.

Below is a photo of the site in October 2023. What a difference! The water garden is filled with grasses and other plants that serve as water filters.

Trees and Bees

Currently, we are working with a local landscaper to beautify and enrich the site for birds, bees, butterflies and other pollinators. We plan to add a walking path and educational signs and plant a variety of native and flowering plants. Selections are based on each plant’s growing preference. Plants preferring moist roots thrive in the bottom of the garden while plants preferring moderately moist or dry conditions thrive beyond the rim of the garden’s basin.

We are excited to play a part in stewarding our planet!

For more information about rain gardens and how you might make one of your own, visit:
An Introduction to Rain Gardens (psu.edu)