Street beds and rain gardens in an urban neighbourhood

About 10 years ago, the city installed raised beds and planted trees along Bank Street in Old Ottawa South (OOS). Watering was needed, and local residents stepped up to care for the trees. But they didn’t stop there. Under an adopt-a-road agreement, they filled the beds with flowers and shrubs and have been tending them ever since.

At about the same time, the City created rain gardens on Sunnyside Avenue—a pilot project to show how plants can hold and absorb rain instead of it falling into catchbasins or causing floods. The project was a success, and OOS volunteers have now taken over the maintenance of these gardens as well. Maintenance is a challenge as species arrive and depart, and rainwater washes seeds from the whole street into the beds.

On this tour, Lydia Wong will identify bees and other pollinators, and volunteer gardeners—Green Dreamers—will also provide information about maintenance and good garden practices under difficult conditions.

This tour involves walking – up to 1.5 km if we visit all the beds.

Host or Publisher Wild Pollinator Partners