Abstract Master Gardeners of Hamilton County designed and built a “rain garden” in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Rain gardens allow water to be held by plant roots rather than becoming polluted runoff. Many native plants were used since they are well adapted to the Chattanooga area. It is also called a butterfly/hummingbird garden since so many flowering plants are used. The garden was built on City of Chattanooga property located between the two main buildings of The Tennessee Aquarium. This is a very visible site for a demonstration rain garden. Master Gardeners worked with city officials for approval. They solicited all the building materials at no cost to the city. Over fifty Master Gardeners from 12 states shared in the initial planting event during the Southern Regional Master Gardener Conference. The garden is a training ground for new Master Gardener interns. There are several work days and training sessions in spring, summer, and fall. A trellis was added in 2007. A local artist donated a sculpture. A sign which reads “Another Master Gardener Project” is visible. Plant labels are presently being made. Thousands of people pass the garden on their way to visit other attractions along the Chattanooga waterfront. Many people stop and exclaim “What a beautiful area”. We inform them that it is also a “rain garden”. Education activities in the garden are provided for school groups. Master Gardeners at the Southern Region

Conference who helped build gardenGarden in November 2007 with new trellis. The

Tennessee Aquarium is in the background.

Tom StebbinsExtension AgentUniversity of Tennessee Hamilton CountyChattanooga, TN 37416

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Garden marked out, ready to plant. Drain in the center..

Master Gardeners tendingto the garden

View of garden from top of the hill,at the Tennessee Aquarium

View towards the Tennessee River in Chattanooga, TN

Common Name Latin Name Common Name Latin NameColumbine Aquilegia spp. Lantana Lantana sppButterfly Weed Asclepias tuberosa Sunflower Helianthus spp.Asters Aster spp Coral Honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirensRussian Sage Perovskia spp. Sun Drops Oenothera pilosellaSpeedwell Veronica spp. Passion Vine Passiflora spp.Indian Pink Spigelia spp. Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalisIronweed Vernonia spp.

Switch Grass Panicum virgatum

Astilbe Astilbe spp. Christmas Fern Polystichum spp.Pentas(red) Pentas spp. Lady Fern Athyrium felix-feminaGoldenrod Solidago rigida

Cinnamon Fern Osmunda cinnamomea

Globe Thistle Cirsium spp. Maiden Hair Fern Adiantum pedatumLavender Lavandula spp. Wild Geranium Geranium maculatumCoreopsis Coreopsis spp. Spice Bush Lindera benzoin Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica Sweet William Dianthus barbatusPineapple Sage Salvia elegans Great Blue Lobelia Lobelia siphiliticaBlanket Flower Gaillardia pulchella Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifoliaSedum Sedum spp. Fire Pink Silene virginicaBee Balm Monarda didyma Native Azalea Rhododendron spp.Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium spp.

Hearts-a-bustin Euonymus americanus

Blue-eyed Mary Omphalodes verna Blue Phlox Phlox paniculata Verbena Verbena spp. Saint-John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum

Blue Phlox Phlox spp. Beauty Berry Callicarpa spp.Black-eyed Susan Rudbeckia hirta Viburnum Viburnum acerifoliumBird’s Foot Violet Viola pedata Swamp Milkweed Asclepias incarnata

Bronze Fennel Foeniculum vulgare

Indian Grass Sorghastrum nutansDill Anethum spp. Red Buckeye Aesculus spp.Coneflower Echinacea spp.

Butterfly/Hummingbird/Rain Garden List

ImpactThis new area in downtown Chattanooga is a functional “rain garden” in a visible location. The site is a training site for continuing Master Gardener classes. It is used as a botanical and environmental demonstration site for the community

Master Gardener botanical and environmental training area.