FINAL PROJECT: Abstract and Reader's Reponse > A Maryland Resident's Guide to Rain Gardens
C, nice abstract. I am not sure I see your ABT statement there. Be sure to include in the beginning of your document.
You can address the aesthetics aspect by nothing that the gardens are functional, with some modest attractiveness. The chief beauty is protection of the watershed, including the Chesapeake Bay.
Another aspect of beauty is that some plants support native pollinators, including butterflies. Button bush is a wonderful nectar plant for many butterflies and bees http://nababutterfly.com/common-buttonbush/
Spice bush host a specific butterfly that is common in Maryland
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d890
Will that help with the beauty question?
You can address the aesthetics aspect by nothing that the gardens are functional, with some modest attractiveness. The chief beauty is protection of the watershed, including the Chesapeake Bay.
Another aspect of beauty is that some plants support native pollinators, including butterflies. Button bush is a wonderful nectar plant for many butterflies and bees http://nababutterfly.com/common-buttonbush/
Spice bush host a specific butterfly that is common in Maryland
http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=d890
Will that help with the beauty question?
May 8, 2018 |
Marybeth Shea
Marybeth Shea
According to Annapolis’ local newspaper, The Capital, hundreds of rain gardens have already been planted in residential yards across Anne Arundel County. These up and coming rain gardens are artificial depressions in the ground that service to filter different pollutants and reduce runoff. Due to increased development, stormwater runoff has become the biggest pollutant in the Chesapeake Bay. I have compiled data about rain gardens to demonstrate what they are and how they will help protect the Bay and other bodies of water, using research from Dr. Allen Davis, pioneer of rain garden research. This guide will also function to instruct Maryland residents on how to build and maintain their own gardens. This will include materials, time management tips, costs (including details on tax rebates offered for most counties), and design elements that can boost the aesthetics of the garden. First-hand accounts from Maryland residents who have built their own gardens will be cited to highlight some of the personal benefits that rain gardens can provide as well as some insider-tips for building the gardens. Using extensive Maryland native plant lists, I will also include several possible designs with sketches that will make residential rain gardens both appealing to the eye and beneficial to the environment. My main source of plants will be Herring Rn Nursery, as it as a non-profit nursery that specializes in Maryland’s native plants.
WC=228
Reader profile:
I can imagine a skeptical reader that is busy and unsure that building a rain garden would fit into his or her schedule and if the garden’s benefits are really worth his or her time.
Reader response:
Hmm. This might sound like a good idea in theory but I am very busy and I am skeptical that such a small garden can really make a difference for the environment. I appreciate the personal anecdotes but is a residential rain garden really worth my time? I am also skeptical that it would be affordable although the tax rebate is a certain benefit. Can I really make the garden look good? Would a generic flowerbed be more aesthetic? I think the design aspect of the guide would help me decide.