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Written by Emily Steele. Originally posted as an Illinois Extension news release. When caring for a rain garden, one of the most helpful tools may not be a rake or a pruner, but a map. The Red Oak Rain Garden interactive map shows the layout of the garden’s native plant placement. This makes maintenance easier andContinueContinue reading “Mapping the Red Oak Rain Garden”

By the RORG Team This year’s Year in Review is dedicated to Prof. Bill Gamble, center. Our bridge could not have been built without him. He passed away May 2022. Photo by Travis Tate. Welcome to RORG’s Year in Review — our third one! You can read about prior years here and here. Before weContinueContinue reading “RORG’s 2022 Year in Review”

by C. Eliana Brown, RORG Director The Red Oak Rain Garden celebrates GivingTuesday with a campaign to fund a RORG Maintenance Endowment. On November 29, 2022, we join millions around the world participating in the GivingTuesday global generosity movement. GivingTuesday reimagines a world built upon shared humanity and generosity. Their global network inspires generosity aroundContinueContinue reading “Giving Tuesday 2022”

By Layne Knoche, RORG Landscape Designer As of July 7, 2022, a portion of east-central Illinois, including where the Red Oak Rain Garden is located, is now listed in severe drought by NOAA and the National Integrated Drought Information System. This is the driest we’ve been here since the dreaded drought of 2012, which isContinueContinue reading “Rain Gardens & Drought”

By Sydney Nielsen, RORG Student Team Taking a look back at my time with RORG, it’s hard to believe how quickly a semester passed by. To me, it feels like just yesterday I first found the listing with the application to apply for RORG’s internship. But now, I’m writing my final reflection about not onlyContinueContinue reading “Looking back on my RORG experience: Sydney Nielsen”

By Sydney Nielsen, RORG Student Intern I had the honor of interviewing David Wilcoxen about his background and interests, as well as his involvement with the Red Oak Rain Garden. David and RORG Director Eliana Brown initially met in 2002. Eliana joined David’s staff in 2004 and worked with him for 10 years during which timeContinueContinue reading “Interview with David Wilcoxen”

By Sydney Nielsen, RORG Student Intern Japan House is a must-visit location and a haven of tranquility for many on the University of Illinois campus. In addition to being a place of learning and respite, the Japan House gardens are a meaningful source of inspiration for the RORG Team. BACKGROUNDAccording to Japan House’s website, theyContinueContinue reading “Inspirations: Japan House Gardens”

By the RORG Team While the RORG Team and volunteers always keep an eye on the garden’s needs for upkeep and design edits, spring is a critical time to perform inspection. Winter can be rough on a campus rain garden. While snow may cover up some issues, snow melt and spring rains reveal places thatContinueContinue reading “Spring Cleaning at RORG”

Two years ago, following the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Basketball tournament, the RORG team started our own version: MULCH MADNESS. We’re excited to announce the THIRD ANNUAL tournament! This competition involves 28 flowering native plants found in the Red Oak Rain Garden battling it out to find out who will make it to the Final Forb. (Yes, that’sContinueContinue reading “MULCH MADNESS 2022: Hold onto your gardening hats, sports fans!”