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Retain the Rain

Where to Start - with Suzanne Bontempo

Join Suzanne Bontempo from Plant Harmony & Our Water Our World to learn more about how to successfully retain and store rainwater with garden design methods and equipment.

Retain the rain to grow a resilient, sustainable garden.

Why should you care about retaining your rainwater? It’s a water-wise way to create a sustainable and resilient garden, especially for those of us who live in California’s dry climate.

When it rains, all the water that isn’t absorbed into the ground runs off into storm drains or bypasses and flows directly into the nearest waterway. Creeks, marshes, and the Bay become polluted with chemicals, pet waste, motor oil, debris and anything else the runoff picks up from the environment.

It is important to be aware of your runoff responsibility and keep water on-site as much as possible. Your garden’s health and the entire ecosystem around it depends on retaining (and using) the rain that does come your way!

Our presenter Suzanne Bontempo has been a professional gardener and environmental educator for more than 25 years: Program Coordinator for Our Water Our World, IPM Advocate Program Coordinator, Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper and ReScape Qualified Professional.

She will discuss:

• The key benefits of rain retention
• Systems for collecting rainwater
• The function and features of a rain garden
• Why plant selection matters
• Ways we can grow together

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