Showcasing our Rain Garden on September 4

On Thursday evening, September 4, Genesis will host a guided walking tour of the gardens on our grounds sponsored by the Washtenaw County Water Resources Rain Garden Program.

We’ll be welcoming rain gardeners and native plant enthusiasts from across the county to share ideas while showcasing the work we’ve done to create and care for the rain garden and other green spaces at Genesis.

Please join us, whether you’re an old hand at tending the Genesis gardens, have been thinking about getting more involved, or are just interested in native plants or want to learn what rain gardens are all about.

Over the past few years, the Genesis grounds committee and volunteers have taken on a number of landscape improvements, including a rain garden now in its third year. The rain garden was designed to address long-standing issues of water pooling and basement flooding following heavy rains and snowmelt. By reshaping the landscape and planting deep-rooted native species, we’ve created a beautiful space that slows and absorbs runoff naturally—reducing water damage and supporting pollinators at the same time.

In addition to the rain garden, we’ll also be showcasing the other gardens on our grounds: our brand new Michigan Native Plant Garden, our Food and Faith Vegetable Garden (now in its second year), and our contemplative garden (over 20 years old).

We will also briefly highlight Genesis’ innovative energy and water use initiatives which have earned us a statewide “Biggest Loser” award two years running.

This will be a fantastic opportunity to walk the grounds, meet others in the area interested in gardening, and ask questions—whether you’re looking to start a rain garden at home or just want to learn about what’s involved. It’ll be a fun and enlightening evening.

The Genesis grounds are maintained by volunteers from Temple Beth Emeth, St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church, and Blue Ocean Faith, with support from Nature & Nurture Landscaping and other partners like Seed2Community-Washtenaw, which sprouted thousands of native plants for our Michigan Native Plant Garden.

The Washtenaw County Water Resources Rain Gardens Program helped us with planning and provides training and other ongoing support. The program supports homeowners, businesses, and other organizations manage stormwater through native plant landscaping.

So come out on Thursday, September 4, from 7-8:30pm, to share your enthusiasm for what we’ve accomplished together on our grounds.

There is no need to RSVP—just come.

As always, we're looking for more volunteers to help tend to our shared space.

If you have questions, feel free to contact Phil Barr, Co-Chair of the Genesis Grounds Team.