And a good time was had by all

The rain came down, the crowd was small, but the Green Roof and Rain Garden field day was a good time for all concerned.  We visited the Neese Memorial Rooftop Garden at Beloit Hospital, and the rooftop rainwater control system on the roof of the Science Building on Beloit College campus.  We interrupted our day to have lunch at Bushel and Pecks in downtown Beloit.  The final stop of the day was The Turtle rain garden at Beloit City Hall.  An unguided tour, we just took a few moments to look over the installation and get a glimpse into the construction and function of a well-planned rain garden.  All in all, it was a fun and educational day,

 Beloit Hospital - As the rain began we opened umbrellas, flipped up

hoods, and used file folders to keep off the rain.

Beloit Health Systems employees Lara Hermann and Greg Gaul were

gracious hosts.  Over refreshments they gave us an education on the

history and benefits of the hospital's lovely rooftop garden.

Dr. Yaffa Grossman (second from left) guided a tour to the roof of the Science
Building.  On the right are two of Dr. Grossman's Fellows.

The green roof system on the Science Building is planted with nine varieties 

of sedum and is used to channel rainwater runoff to a cistern for storage.  

It is then used in their greenhouses.  Dr. Grossman and her Fellows have 

been instrumental in returning much of the campus to an oak savannah and

has installed prairie plantings on the hillside near the Science Building.

With Beloit City Hall in the background the group visits The Turtle - a large
rain garden shaped like a turtle which was devised to control rainwater runoff
from the City Hall parking area.                              Photo courtesy of Liz Keyes