Collaborating with the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization, Rogue Arc, and Earth Wizards, we designed a commercial rain garden planting plan for the Fourth Street Woodworking Guild in the Industrial zone of North Minneapolis. The goals were to complement the building’s modern and industrial aesthetics, fulfill ecological needs with pollinator-friendly native plantings, and create a functioning rain garden, selecting appropriate plants to assist in the engineering and stormwater requirements.  The planting swales in conjunction with rain cisterns and pervious parking has reduced  55% of the runoff that leaves the site, located one block from the Mississippi River.

Several plant pots lined up on soil to be planted in the rain garden of an industrial building
Laying out the plan
The first rain after install
A winterberry bush, a short plant with dark green leaves and clumps of small round orange-red berries, in front of a black industrial building.
A black building in an industrial architectural style with a rain garden full of plants in the foreground.
A black building in an industrial architectural style with a rain garden full of plants in the foreground.
A view from inside an industrial building with a garage door, looking out into the rain garden
A black building in an industrial architectural style with a rain garden full of plants in the foreground.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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