Home.and.Design. .April /May.2013

7/27/2019 Home.and.Design. .April /May.2013

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April/A 2013

D yur du

k dr

Ris welcome

in this gaRDen

a passive house

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April

&MayCover storyThe Mansouris have made aremarkable house even more special by

reducing energy consumption in

fascinating ways. 6

Inspirations

There are many ways to be

greenand unique. 2

Get your ducts in a row

Make your HVAC work for you, not

against you. 18

The passive house

A passive house can be

beautiful and simple. 20

Profile

Louise Madonia practices the

high art of recycling with products

and organizations she supports. 22

In the garden

Youll welcome the rain when you know

more about rain gardens and how they

help maintain our water purity. 26

IN EVERY ISSUE

Introduction3

Inspirations 2

Cover photo by LONGS PHOTOGRAPHY339-5799, 702 W. Tharpe Street

www.longsphotography.com

22

20

6

April/May 2013 1


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INSPIRATIONS

so puRe salon

1410 Market St., 727-0482

Welcome to a green world of beauty, jewelry and home dcor.

TourmalineChargedSetfeel

theenergyfromnatureusing

finelypowderedTourmaline,$

45.

Rosemary and mint soap is a refreshing

combination. So Pure Salon, $16

Feel the luxury of Aveda smooth lissage.

So Pure Salon, $30.50

2 April/May 2013


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Publishedbythe

tallahasseedemocrat

presidentandpublisher

Julie Moreno850-599-2126

[email protected]

designer

April Miller

contributingwriters

Marina BrownAndy LindstromKathy RadfordKati Schardl

contributingphotographers

Glenn BeilLinda and Olyn Long

contactus

advertising

Lisa [email protected]

Home & Design Magazine is published sixtimes a year by the Tallahassee Democratat 277 N. Magnolia Drive, Tallahassee,FL 32301. No part of this magazine maybe reproduced without the consent ofthe publisher. Home & Design Magazineis not responsible for unsolicitedmanuscripts, photos and artwork.

showusyourstuffDo you know of a home that should be in Home

& Design? Please e-mail Lisa Lazarus, llazarus@

tallahassee.com

Ilearned a new word at the right time for this issue. Virescent is anadjective that means becoming green. There are lots of ways to become

green without having to involve Kermit the frog.Edward and Virginia Mansouri have converted their home into an

energy-saving powerhouse, while retaining every amenity possible in a homewith all of its grandeur: a pool, hot tub, ofce building, movie theater andhome gym. And if you need to know the weather at Moore Pond, the weatherstation automatically reports to a Facebook page. This home is a testament tobeing energy conscious all at the touch of Edward Mansouris iPhone. Dontworry about being able to see all of his apps and controls he can projectthem onto his ofces smart board or the family theater.

If youre looking for a sweet and simpler green home, read Marina Brownsarticle on the Passive House. This home design is just making its way to the

Southeast where our natural weather patterns allow for a home with an energyefcient design.

And speaking of design, our Inspirations pages have an array of productsthat span beauty products to barn wood. Every year we see more and moreitems that are beautiful and recycled or completely natural.

As April showers will bring May owers, consider planting a rain garden tohelp that runoff in your yard and improve the view. I cannot imagine a yard inour city of seven hills that could not use a rain garden. Not only does this typeof garden slow down the ow of water, it helps to lter what ultimately owsinto our rivers, lakes and aquifer.

We have a lot to lose if our air ow is not monitored in our homes. AveryHurt reports on cleaning your ducts and even sealing any leaks.

There are so many ways we can help reduce our footprints on the earth. Ihope you enjoy nding some with these pages.

Saving the best for last, were featuring a unique way to think of beinggreener. Dont just read about it, but make sure you visit The Collection the creation of Louise Madonia that not only recycles unwanted items,but uses the proceeds to benet others. Madonia includes a large amount ofentertainment in the process; with a huge personality, 3 cats (one rescued froma drain pipe is named Piper), a vegetable and ower garden and an eye forcolor, detail and humor that any designer would envy.

So now well be taking a solar cue from this issue the coastal issue isnext, coming in June.

Lisa LazarusHome & Design

FIRSTWORD

How green is your world?

Tallahassee.com/HomeandDesign

April/May 2013 3


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INSPIRATIONS

nomaDs1318 N. Monroe St., 681-3

This aluminum necklace uses

pretty roses as a femininedetail. Nomads, $50

vignettes2066 Thomasville Rd., 386-8525

This barn wood candlestickcould not have been more

artfully repurposed. Vignettes,

$69, candle, $30

Spreadtheprintedwordwithrecycled

newspaperpages.

Vignettes,$40

Who knew a bike chain

could be such a cool

frame? Ten Thousand

Villages, $18

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JimSchmidmakeseternalspringflowersforNomads.$12each

ten thousanD villages

1415 Timberlane Rd., 906-9010

Green grasses make an earthy container, Ten

Thousand Villages, $10

A colorful bird sculpture is a

metal makeover, Ten

Thousand Villages, $58

Send a beautiful bouquet of

magazine flowers, Ten Thousand

Villages, $5

April/May 2013 5


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COVER STORY


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By Andy Lindstrom

With a touch screen display on hisiPhone, Edward Mansouri monitorsthe electric current generated by 88solar panels mounted on the roof of

his Moore Pond home.

Wireless sensors provide Mansouri with real-timecontact to his full-service weather station out by thepond, 12 in-house thermostats, 20-camera securitysystem and even soil moisture requirements foranother 20 outdoor sprinkler zones.

Newly installed double-pane windows, spray foaminsulation and a state-of-the-art heating and cooling

system hold down utility bills. A central commandbox controls just about everything from the shadesin his home ofce to the water temperature of hisoutdoor hot tub.

Blending the best of green building practices withhis own considerable computer skills, Mansouri hasmanaged to restore the environmental health of anailing luxury mansion in one of Tallahassees mostprestigious neighborhoods without detracting from itsshowcase image. All while serving his own needs, hesaid, and the general good as well.

Hes really on the top end of energy efciency whilenot taking anything away from the settings naturalbeauty, said Tallahassee builder Mark Worley, whorecently completed a ve month, $600,000-plusenergy makeover of Mansouris ve-bedroom, seven-bath two-story home and annex. Even the solarpanels face south toward the pond, where they cantbe seen from the road.

An entrepreneurial innovator with a mastersdegree in meteorology from Florida State University

and bachelors degrees in both meteorology and

environmental engineering at Penn State, Mansouri

(on the cusp of his 40th birthday) has lived inTallahassee since 1997. His fascination with weatherdates back to early childhood, he said. But while

teaching meteorology at FSU, he developed softwarefor teaching any course online. His highly successful

business marketing that software has served over twomillion students since 1999.

Although Im not working as a professionalmeteorologist, weather is still a passion of mine,

he said. His backyard weather station automaticallyupdates a Facebook page with the latest conditions

and over 200 followers.

Once listed at $3.2 million by a previous owner, the

3.35-acre property that Mansouri bought in 2011 sitscomfortably in a neighborhood of similar high-end

homes. Its Mediterranean-style, 13,800 square feethouse offers a number of unique features including

a workout complex built for ex-Seminole andprofessional football quarterback Brad Johnson, an

in-house movie theater with plush leather seating anda gaily decorated childrens suite where Ed and wifeVirginias three youngsters now spend most of

their time.

But the asking price took a dramatic tumble afterstructural issues including water damage and budget-busting utility bills cut its market value by more than

half. After some much-needed upgrades aimed atreining in those high energy costs, Mansouri decided,

it might still prove a smart buy.

And thats when Worley stepped in.

Heading a crew of up to 78 workers, Worley helpedMansouri tackle the energy problems with his full

The Ultimate

EnergyMakeover

Flowers and plants provided by Tallahassee Nurseries.

April/May 2013 7


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kit of environmentally friendly solutions. Along with the solar

panels 24,000 watts of daily power (four times the average

residential grid system in Tallahassee, Worley said), he installed

double-paned, argon-gas windows to block outside heat and hold

conditioned air in. Icynene foam insulation seals the ceiling

against moisture buildup and helps maintain an even temperature,

while a closed-loop geothermal system has replaced less efcient

heat pumps.

We put in 128 poles, 80 feet deep, so we can tap directly into the

grounds constant 70-degree temperature, Worley explained the

long-term benets of a geothermal setup. It took us ten weeks

just to bore the holes.

As a nal touch, Worley installed LED lighting in place of the

original incandescent bulbs. Payback on Mansouris investment,

he said, should take fewer than ten years. After that, reduced

energy costs will be pure savings. And none of these things have

made any difference from an aesthetic point of view, Mansouri

added. When I considered the energy demands of the house, the

fact that we plan to live here a long time, and that upgrades couldbe made without impacting its aesthetic beauty, the investment

made both nancial and practical sense.

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Mar-12 2421.62 $510.28 $1,356.87

Apr-12 3135.35 $660.68 $1,120.72

May-12 2624.64 $553.06 $1,520.44

Jun-12 2649.54 $558.31 $1,362.54

Jul-12 2835.34 $597.46 $1,567.59

Aug-12 2390.66 $503.75 $1,328.77

Sep-12 2779.05 $585.60 $1,183.89

Oct-12 2861.9 $603.05 $1,067.09

Nov-12 2260.1 $476.25 $1,281.68

Dec-12 2026.1 $426.93 $1,334.73

Jan-13 2172.01 $457.68 $1,395.71

City of

Tallahassee bill

Estimated value

of solar kwH

Solar kwHMonth

88 solar panels mounted on the roof generate 24,000 watts of power dailyfour times

the average residential grid system in Tallahassee, according to Mark Worley, who

partnered with the Mansouris on their energy makeover quest. The 13,800 square foot

home has been made ultra-efficient by wireless sensors that provide real-time contact to

a full-service weather station out by the pond, 12 in-house thermostats, 20-camera

security system and even soil moisture requirements for another 20 outdoor sprinkler

10 April/May 2013


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zones. Newly installed double-pane windows, spray foam insulation and a

state-of-the-art heating and cooling system hold down utility bills. A central

command box controls just about everything from the shades in the home office to

the water temperature of the outdoor hot tub.

Below is almost a history of the massive energy resources created by the solar panels

and the resulting energy bill.

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You can find the Edward Mansouris weather station on

Facebook at Moore Pond Weather Station.

Like the page and get messages generated by the

weather station posted on your news feed

Good morning! Its 41.8 F. Todays forecast high is 64 F,

and no rain is expected today.

And if you need the info on Twitter, follow @MoorePond.

April/May 2013 15


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April/May 2013 17


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FEATURE

BY AVERY HURT

Iclean my bathrooms andoccasionally even myrefrigerator. But surely I

dont have to clean my airconditioning ducts?

Well, maybe not

According to Patrick Barineau, salesmanager at Barineau Heating and AirConditioning in Tallahassee, There arelots of misconceptions about duct cleaning.We have been cleaning ducts for 15 years,and have certication from the NationalAir Duct Cleaners Association, he says.But that doesnt mean that he thinks youneed him to rush over to clean your ducts.If you think your ducts need to be cleaned,Barineau wants to know why they aredirty. We need to deal with that rst,

he says. If your house is lled with dust,pollen, or pet dander, you need to nd outwhy. Otherwise the problem will just comeback. Properly installed and maintainedducts shouldnt need regular cleaning, saysBarineau. The Environmental ProtectionAgency agrees. According to an EPApublication, Studies [do not] conclusivelydemonstrate that particle (e.g., dust)levels in homes increase because of dirtyair ducts.

Even if duct cleaning doesnt help muchwith your allergies, a few studies do showthat duct cleaning can save energy. Inorder to reap the most energy and costsavings, however, it is important toclean and service the entire system, notjust the ducts. Research by AmericanSociety of Heating, Refrigerating andAir-Conditioning Engineers found thatdirty coils and blowers can cut efciencyby as much as 40 percent in commercialbuildings. If you have problems you thinkare down to your ductwork, Barineau

suggests getting an evaluation from anHVAC company you trust.

Stop The Leaks

If you are having problems with dust andpollen or other airborne debris in yourhouse, your supply ducts may have holesand gaps. When there are holes in theducts, something called the Venturi effectcauses the system to suck air into theducts, air that contains all the dust from

your attic or basement, and blow it backinto your house, explains John Grifn, ofTruseal, a Tallahassee company specializingin duct sealing.

Leaky ducts can bring in air from outsideas well. If supply ducts leak more thanthe return, youre sucking more air outthan in, creating negative pressure. In thiscase all entry points (gaps in doorways andwindows, for example) become vacuumpoints, introducing dust and odors,Grifn explains.

Get your ducts in a row

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An Ounce of

PreventionTherearesomethingsyoucan

dotokeepyourductworkcean,

andtheydontinvovecrawing

aroundinyourHVACsystemwithafeatherduster.Foowthese

tipsfromtheEAandkeepyour

heatingandair-conditioning

systemintop-notchshape.

Usethehighesteciencyair

terthatisrecommendedfor

yoursystem.

Changetersreguary.

fyoundthatyourtersare

becomingcogged,change

themmoreoften.

akesuretheterstpropery,

withnogaps.Asomakesure

youarentmissinganyters.

Haveyoursystemmaintained

reguaryandaskyourservice

techniciantoceancoisand

drainpans.

In the old days, duct tape and mastic

glue were used to seal the leaks, a time-

consuming procedure that lasted at best

a couple of years and often didnt get the

leakage low enough to meet Energy Star

requirements. These days, a new high-tech

process patented as Aeroseal, can easily

x the leaks.

Aeroseal injects an aerosol fog made upof atomized molecules into the ductwork.

The system is then put under pressure.

When the air speeds up as it rushes out the

gaps, the molecules bang into the sides ofthe gaps and burst, releasing a glue that

seals the holes. This method can patch

holes up to one-half inch wide and any

length. The entire process takes about four

hours and can get the leakage to under 2

percent, helping you breathe easier, save

money, and keep the planet healthy.

April/May 2013 19


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FEATURE

The Passive House. How tranquil.

How relaxing. And certainly

better than a house that may get

all aggressive.

But in architectural circles, the PassiveHouse is a building innovation unlike itsprecursors and peersthe Leed-certied

houses and buildings that only use solar oralternative energy sources. In fact it setsmuch higher standards for efciency. APassive House is one where energy is notso much created and burnt as harvestedand husbanded.

And the results from climates wherethe snow ies 9 months of the year areimpressive. Conceived in 1988 by twoprofessors from Sweden and Germany,the original Passivhaus, set strict standardsbased on energy conservation, heat

recovery, and positioning of the structurein relation to the sun. With thoseprinciples, the professors say they are ableto reduce energy use by 85-90%per household.

While Tallahassee may have slippedthrough a relatively mild winter, manyparts of the U.S. have shivered throughthe cold months and dug out fromunder mountains of snow. But summertemperatures are expected to continuetheir globe-threatening rise. Such

extremes of temperature contribute to

90% of U.S. energy consumption from the

heating and cooling of buildingsas well

as 48% of greenhouse emissions.

TUCK YOURSELF INCorey Saft, a professor at the University

of Louisiana in Lafayette, a registered

architect, and Leeds specialist, knows all

about Passive Houses. Hes built one .

Think of it this way, he explains. When

you pour hot coffee into a thermos at 8

a.m., itll stay hot till 8 p.m. if you dont

open the top. Youve spent energy to heat

the liquid one time, and if all that heat

remains trapped inside the thermos wrap,

you wont have to expend more energy

maintaining that internal temperature.

The same thing goes for cooling. So rst

comes the wrapthe insulation and

the seal.

In Safts 1600 sq. ft house, he sprayed in 1

of open cell foam as well as R 7/11 yellow

insulation. Some of the Scandinavian

homes used up to 13 of wall insulation

and 20 in the ceiling. Before the exterior

nish is applied, the house is then

externally wrapped in an envelope of

insulating material. The idea is an air-tight

envelope that isnt subject to the extremes

and uctuations of outside air.

THE (AIR) CIRCLE OF LIFEBut who wants to be trapped in anairless box? An ERV, or energy recoveryventilation system, provides for theow of air. Picking up heat generated byappliances and the simple movementof people inside the house, heat gain isdistributed appropriately throughout the

dwelling. In the case of homes in hotclimates where cooling is the priority,some of that heat may be directed throughtubes placed under the house where it candissipate, be cooled and then recirculateback through the house.

DONT OVERTHINKBut a Passive House is not all space-ageinsulation and exotic systems. Someprinciples are pure common sense.Window placement toward the north

and south, rather than following the sunshotter path; orientation of the housetoward prevailing breezes; deep overhangs;the use of shades trees or hanging plantwalls; and clearstory windows paired withlower oor-placed windows for optimal airowall make for either fresh ventilationor conservation of internal temperature.

With current green buildings reducingenergy up to 15-40%, with an average80% savings, a Passive House starts to lookabsolutely perky.

Cool, Calm, and

CollectedtheEnergySparing

Passive HouseBy Marina Brown

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Here are some ideas

rom the Passive House

standards that anyone

can use in building or

even retroftting a home

in warmer climes:

educetheamountoftheexteriorsurfaceareathat

facesthesun.

Usetrees,verticagardens,

pergoas,orgreenroofs

forcooing.

Chooseareectivepaintcoor

forhomeandroong.

Usetripe-panewindows.

Utiizethebestinsuation

possibe,makingsurethatair

vents,externaducting,etc.

arecarefuywrapped.

ChoosefromlED,haogen,

orescent,orphotovotaic

ceightingtoreduceheat

output.Asacomparison,a

typicahousewiuse5-15

BTUofenergypersq.ft.

perday.Ahouseadhering

toassiveHousestandards

bringsthatdownto1BTU.

rofessorCorySaftbuithisassiveHouseinlouisiana

andsaysthatthoughhis

two-storyhomecostaround

$110/sq.ft,hethinksthat

theaveragewoudrange

approximatey14%higher

thanatraditionay

craftedhouse.

Aresuchbuidingsworthit?

assiveHousebeieversteusweshoudwaitandask

ourgrandchidrenthefoks

whobedeaingwith

acimateaotmoreerratic

thanourown.

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PROFILE

Louise Lulu Madonia doesnt just

think outside the box she rethinksthe box itself into something freshand fun.

At her store/performance space/gatheringspot, The Collection at Southside, Madon-ia reigns as Tallahassees fairy godmotherof repurposing. From the sidewalk, withits welcoming vegetable and ower gardenadorned with re-imagined yard art and bluebricks from the old Chez Pierre location onSouth Adams Street, to the interior, wherefurniture, books, art, jewelry, clothing and

other treasures are arranged in appealing,

color-coordinated groupings, she gives oldthings new life and context.

Its a Mad Max approach Hey, what

can we do with this?, Madonia says.

From the clothing to the donated items

and building materials, we try to keep as

many things as we can that we know we

can do something with somewhere

along the line.

Im a curator of other peoples stuff and

we keep the best of the best for the store.

A lifelong thrifter, Madonia brings her

creative and canny eye to every item thatsplaced out on the oor in the shop.

To get onto the showroom, I have to havetouched it and have to be able to place itwhere somebody will see what I see in it,she says.

Madonia and her crew moved The Col-lection to its current location on PalmerStreet off South Monroe Street in Sep-tember 2012, but The Collection itself justcelebrated its second anniversary. She tookover the old Refuge House thrift store on

The high art of The CollectionBy Kati Schardl

22 April/May 2013


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Gaines Street in 2011, moved it to a newlocation on South Adams Street in 2012and then branched out on her own in thePalmer Street premises, which boasts 5,500square feet of showroom space and 4,000square feet of room for intake and storage.

Madonia works with the warehouse man-ager at ECHO, John Hinkle, in a mutuallybenecial relationship to swap items thatsuit each others purposes. All donations toThe Collection benet ECHO in one wayor another, and she provides tax receiptsfor donors dropping off their high-endpieces for repurposing and resale.

Creating community

One of the rst things Madonia did in thenew space was make a kitchen area with

recycled materials that were either donated

or sourced from Habitat for Humanitys

ReStore.

The kitchen is the hearth o our

amily here at The Collection, she

says. We like ood, we like to serve

people ood, the teapot is alwaysgoing and the cofee pot is

at the ready.

Madonia often posts pictures on The Col-

lections Facebook page of luscious lunches

she has prepared using veggies from her

sidewalk garden and ingredients sourced

from local farmers and growers. If you

wander into the store at just the right time,youll be asked to join the crew for lunchat a table set with dishes and tablewarefrom the stores kitchen area.

Madonia also encourages folks to bring abook and settle into one of the cozy roomsin the store to read or re up the laptop tosurf the Internet courtesy of The Collec-tions WiFi connection. The store hostsreadings, book clubs, salons, personalshopping parties, supper clubs andother gatherings.

She hosted a Big Top Partie with a steam-punk/Moulin Rouge theme for The Col-lections second anniversary and customersand newcomers alike mingled in vintagenery and costumes cobbled together fromelements purchased at the store.

I love the stories of the stuff

that comes in, Madonia adds.Its like reincarnation for the

people who have passed or are

still alive and bring their stuff

to donate. Their stories come

out every day and are carried

on to the next owner.

April/May 2013 23


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Its too nice for it all to be just mine,Madonia says.

People are drawn in by the garden, where

water from an outdoor sink is recycled toirrigate the plants.

Its really important to have that welcom-ing presence on the street, she says. Ialways have some kind of garden mixingthe veggies with the owers the veggiesfor the tummy and the owers for the eye.

And once inside, customers can spend anhour or more wandering from room toartfully arranged room checking outthe treasures.

Theres something pleasing about a

nice display, Madonia says. It givespeople ideas.

Madonia makes a point of getting to knowher customers and looks out for items ontheir wish lists. She saves frames and bitsand pieces that could be used in multi-me-dia installations or mosaic works for areaartists. Local cooks know they can ndquality goods in the stores kitchen area,and folks who lust for vintage or unusualfabrics have a friend in Lulu. The FSU lmschool plunders the clothing racks at The

Collection for costumes for lm shoots,and display pieces, fabrics and other adorn-ments can be rented out for weddingsand parties.

There are things I dont want to sell, butif I rent them out, they get used and thencome back to me so that everybody canenjoy them, Madonia says.

In keeping with her desire to provide thepersonal connection for shoppers, itemsare priced by Madonia herself at the timeof purchase.

This is not a thrift store and I workoutside the retail box, she says. I like tobargain as much as the next person and for

me, its all about that personal interactionand its all about the service.

I love the stories of the stuff that comesin, Madonia adds. Its like reincarnationfor the people who have passed or are stillalive and bring their stuff to donate. Theirstories come out every day and are carriedon to the next owner.

The Lulu chronicles

The Collections aesthetic and businessmodel is a sum of Madonias own experi-

ence. She grew up in Titusville and moved

to Tallahassee when she was 12, later grad-

uating from Leon High School. Madonia

has served in the Air Force and traveledall over the U.S. and the world. She has a

son, Dylan, and a menagerie that includes

store kitties Frankie and Piper and elder

dog Judy. She has worked at everything

from caddying on the mens professional

European Tour to running a local eatery

and establishing a thriving landscape busi-

ness that she still maintains.

The Collection inspires her as much as it

does the customers who frequent the store.

It keeps mind, body and spirit engaged

and alive.

Everything I need is here food, garden-

ing and stuff. What else is there in life?

If You Go

The Collection at Southside is located at

231 E. Palmer Ave. Hours vary and can

be found posted on the stores Facebook

page at www.facebook.com/southsidelulu,

which is accessible even to those without a

Facebook account.

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GARDEN

The City of Tallahassees Think

About Personal Pollution

(TAPP) Campaign aims

to raise awareness about

the pollution individuals contribute to

surface water when stormwater carries

contaminants from neighborhoods to

rivers, lakes and streams.

North Floridas unique topography makes

a program like TAPP essential because

Tallahasseans live above a veritable ocean

of fresh water the Floridan Aquifer the

source of our drinking water. The relics of

a glacial age that we refer to as sinkholes

are part of a system of underground tunnels

and caves that connect the ground we

walk on with the fresh groundwater below.

Springs are the waters from below owing

up. The waters we see (i.e., rivers, lakes,

streams) are the places where we are joined

to our drinking water. This makes our

drinking water supply vulnerable to any

contaminants that make their way into

these visible bodies of water.

The water cycle does provide some natural

ltration. Water that soaks into the ground

is ltered before nally reaching the

groundwater below.

However, the volume of pollution swept

away when rain rushes across roofs and

pavement is compromising the health

of local waters. Wakulla Springs has

Water stories:Help maintain a healthywater supply and build abeautiful rain garden

26 April/May 2013


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long been a site of concern. Now, the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency is also

monitoring the amount of pollutants owing into

Upper Lake Lafayette and Lake Munson.

Nutrients (chiey nitrogen and phosphorus)

enter water without our help; these elements are

in the air and soil. Our habits of over-fertilizinglawns, washing cars on driveways and leaving

dog waste on the ground, however, contribute

signicantly to the problem.

TAPP urges two ways to reduce pollution

from individuals.

First, you can take simple steps to reduce

the amount you add to the ground. Re-think

fertilizing, and choose wisely if you buy fertilizer.

Dont intentionally spill oil or gas on driveways.

Always collect dog waste, and learn about yourwatershed (the area around where you live that

drains to a specic waterbody).

Second, you can help prevent pollutants from

owing into lakes by dealing with rain water

at home before it ows away. Catch rainwater

from your roof in rain barrels. This water can be

used to water your grass. You can also direct rain

from your property into a basin-garden (i.e., rain

garden) to help prevent erosion and soggy places.

These gardens also help water lter naturally

back to the aquifer.

The good news is that these small efforts reallydo help. Studies show that when citizens engage

in small acts of pollution prevention, those

actions cumulatively translate into real water-

quality improvement. TAPPs website, www.

tappwater.org, is a great source for learning about

other easy, inexpensive ways that you can be part

of the clean water revolution!

TAPP was initiated as an independent program

of the Ochlocknee Soil and Water Conservation

District. It is now an important environmentaleducation and outreach program for the

City of Tallahassee.

April/May 2013 27


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Rain Gardens are just what they sound likegardensthat soak up rainwatermainly from your roof, but alsofrom your driveway and lawn.

A rain garden is a landscaped area designed to captureand hold excess rain water for a short period. The garden lls witha few inches of water and allows the water to slowly lter into theground, recharging the groundwater rather than running off intostorm drains and into nearby lakes and streams. Compared to a

patch of conventional lawn, a rain garden allows 30% more waterto soak into the ground.

Capturing stormwater runoff helps prevent pollutantssuch assilt, fertilizer and pesticidesfrom washing off your yard intostorm drains and eventually into our water supply. By reducing theamount of water that leaves your property, the rain garden alsocan help reduce the chances of local ooding.

People in many parts of the country are starting to plant raingardens in their yards. Excess rain water is channeled into low orexcavated areas of the yard where the rain garden plants absorbthe water or it soaks into the soil. You can help simply by planting

rain gardens in your own yard to collect runoff from your roof,

driveway or lawn. Working together, we can help make our water

cleanerone yard and one landscape at a time.

Planting a rain garden

The key steps in the process include choosing and sizing the

site, selecting appropriate plants, construction, planting and

maintenance. You might decide to do some or all of the stepsyourself, or you might select a professional landscaping company

to help you. However you decide to plant your rain garden, try

to keep the design simple. This will help make the garden as

affordable as possible and makes it easier for you to be involved in

all the steps of planting.

Tips for planting a productive rain garden

Turn the garden construction into a family affair. After preparing

a site a few people planting for an hour can be fun for everyone

and will allow you to nish in a few hours.

Every drop ofwater you losenature finds

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In the weeks after planting, you may want to keepremoving weeds until the mature garden plants crowd themout. A good layer of mulch will help deter weed growth andkeep garden soil loose and absorbent.

Leave the dead or dormant plants standing over the winter.Many of the plants will provide seeds and shelter for thebirds. In the spring, cut back or mow the stalks to allow

new shoots to emerge.Installation of a rain garden is slightly more work than acomparable area of lawn, but once the plants have matured,maintenance is low.

For more information, contact the Tallahassee StormwaterManagement Division at 891-6860 for a copy of RainGardens: A How-to Manual for Homeowners or visit thewebsite at www.TappWater.org.

For easy care,the rain

garden can beplanted withnative species.

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