Gardening for Clean Water provides local nurseries with rain garden education and tools for staff and customers to promote rain gardening and clean water.
The program was initially grant-funded in 2012, and awarded $47,056 from Ohio EPA’s Environmental Education Fund. Its funding period and activities took place in June 2012 through November 2014. Primary objectives included recruitment of nurseries, creation of training materials for garden centers, outreach, and ongoing support. In 2016, the Ohio EPA Office of Environmental Education selected Gardening for Clean Water as an Outstanding Project.
The program currently involves optional education for nursery employees about stormwater pollution, an onsite store display, and rain garden plant tags. About 10 local nurseries are visited several times a year where nearly 50 perennials and woody shrubs are marked with species name and a “Suitable for Rain Gardens” placard. This program receives support from following cities and municipal communities: Bexley, Canal Winchester, Columbus, Dublin, Franklin County, Hilliard, New Albany, and Westerville.
Gardening for Clean Water Nursery | Location |
Darby Creek Nursery (Hilliard) | 6368 Scioto Darby Creek Rd. Hilliard, Ohio 43026 |
Dill's Greenhouse (Groveport) | 5800 Rager Rd. Groveport, Ohio 43125 |
Fisher's Garden Center (Whitehall) | 1540 Truro Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068 |
Kurtz Bros. (Westerville) | 6055-C Westerville Rd. Westerville, Ohio 43081 |
Lowes Home Improvement | 2345 Silver Dr, Columbus, OH 43211 |
Oakland Nurseries (Columbus) | 1156 Oakland Park Ave. Columbus, Ohio 43224 |
Oakland Nurseries (Dublin) | 4261 W Dublin Granville Rd, Dublin, OH 43017 |
Oakland Nurseries (New Albany) | 5211 Johnstown Road
New Albany, Ohio 43054 |
Scioto Gardens (Delaware) | 3351 SR 37 W, Delaware, Ohio 43015 |
Strader's Garden Center (East/Southeast) | 7141 E Broad St.Columbus, Ohio 43213 |