Master Rain Gardener Program: Online Residential Certification 2025

Monday, January 27 - Saturday, March 8

Course Delivery:

The online course consists of pre-recorded webinars that can be watched at your convenience within the course timeline. Weekly virtual Q&A sessions and one final in-person class are optional to attend.

Optional Live Q&A Sessions (virtual):

• Thursday, January 30th from 12 – 1PM
• Thursday, February 6th from 12 – 1PM
• Thursday, February 13th from 12 – 1PM
• Thursday, February 20th from 12 – 1PM
• Thursday, March 6th from 12 – 1PM

Optional Final In-Person Class:

• Saturday, March 8th, from 10AM – 1:30PM at the Watershed Stewardship Center, 2277 W Ridgewood Dr, Parma, OH 44134.

Participants may join optional weekly Q&A sessions virtually on Thursdays between 12 – 1PM where they can receive customized feedback on weekly homework from course instructors. We also invite our participants to join our active Facebook community where they can discuss course progress and request feedback from MRG alumni and staff from local conservation organizations. At the end of the six weeks, we encourage participants to attend a final in-person course (Saturday, March 8th from 10AM – 1:30PM) where course participants can share their final rain garden plans, receive customized feedback from course instructors, and mingle with fellow participants. Those who are unable to attend the final in-person class will have the opportunity to get feedback on their final rain garden plan from course instructors at the last live Q&A session on Thursday, March 6th at 12pm.

About the Course

This Master Rain Gardener Program will teach you how to manage rain water and localized flooding in your own yard. Rain gardens naturally manage stormwater by infiltrating precipitation and allowing it to soak into the ground rather than sending it directly to storm sewers and nearby streams untreated. Experienced instructors will provide guidance and feedback through weekly Q&A sessions which will enable you to design and install a rain garden. Topics will include site assessment, soil analysis, design, construction, plant selection, mulching, and maintenance. The course will be held online and provide weekly course materials that can be reviewed at times that work with your own schedule.

The Residential Certification is geared toward homeowners who would like to install a rain garden in their own yard and serve as the neighborhood expert on rain gardens.

To complete certification, residential track participants are required to complete all course materials and install their own rain garden, adopt a public rain garden, rehab a public rain garden, or participate in a public rain garden installation. Graduates will receive a Master Rain Gardener t-shirt, yard sign, and a certificate of completion.

Need-based scholarships are available! We are committed to creating a more diverse and inclusive program that is accessible to all Ohio residents. Please reach out to Maggie Ensign ([email protected]) to learn more about our scholarship opportunities, or with any questions.

About Rain Gardens

Rain gardens work with nature to collect and filter rainwater that runs off impervious surfaces like rooftops and driveways. Impervious surfaces lead to increases in surface runoff and often result in increased flooding and stream bank erosion. As water travels over impervious surfaces it also has the potential to pick up pollutants. Polluted stormwater runoff enters our rivers and lakes and is one of the leading threats to water quality in the U.S. Rain gardens also provide habitat for pollinators, and can be a beautiful addition to landscaping.

For further information, please visit https://neomasterraingardener.org/.

Host or Publisher Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Inc.