Registration open for 2024 Master Rain Gardener courses

Cuyahoga Soil & Water Conservation District, Chagrin River Watershed Partners and Lake County Soil & Water Conservation District are offering five Master Rain Gardener courses in 2024. Participants will learn how to design, install and maintain residential rain gardens.

Rain gardens are saucer-shaped gardens filled with native, wet-tolerant plants that are designed to collect, filter and soak up stormwater runoff from roofs, driveways and lawns that would otherwise flow into storm drains and streams untreated. Rain gardens can help improve localized flooding issues and increase wildlife habitat. When replicated across the region, they can make a significant impact in protecting the water quality of our local streams and Lake Erie.

In-person courses will include optional field trips to residential rain gardens, public rain gardens, and native plant nurseries. Master rain gardeners earn their certification by taking the class and building a rain garden or adopting a public rain garden. Experienced instructors will provide customized feedback which will enable participants to design and install a rain garden of their own and become the neighborhood rain garden expert. Course topics will include site assessment, soil analysis, design, construction, plant selection, mulching, and maintenance.

Graduates will receive a certificate, master rain gardener T-shirt and a yard sign.

Select courses also offer a Professional Rain Gardener Certification which is geared toward landscape professionals and contractors looking to install rain gardens professionally on residential properties.

Income-based scholarships to participate are available. Based on need, courses can be offered for as low as $10 for online, and $20 for in-person. Contact course instructors for more information.

To register for winter and spring programs, visit neomasterraingardener.org. Registration for late-summer and fall courses will be available in spring of 2024. ∞