Butterfly Bioswale

Flushing Watershed, Queens, NY

This landscape removed 300 square feet of impervious surface to create a stormwater capture garden and butterfly / insect habitat strip. A slight swale was graded to hold water and robust plantings replaced underutilized sidewalk area. This project resulted in fewer gallons of stormwater runoff collecting in the Tier 1 sewershed, helping to reduce incidence of CSO (combined sewer overflow) events. In addition, a 100 gallon rain cistern helps to catch and reduce the “first flush” of stormwater into the system. The garden serves as a natural habitat for insects and forage for birds.

Plant List:
Echinacea purpurea
Rosa rugosa
Knockout rose
Miscanthus gracillimus
Miscanthus morning light
Miscanthus zebrinus
Miscanthus variegatus
Pennisetum alopecurides
Sedum 'Autumn joy'