I am proud of my big brother Shep, and I don’t say it enough! Today’s Green Thought Thursday is inspired by him and his work with fellow NC State Landscape Architecture and horticultural science graduate students.

In a class led by Professor Andrew Fox, Shep and his classmates spent 10 weeks designing and then installing a rain garden for State’s campus. What is a rain garden, you may ask? Simply put, it’s a garden that uses deep-rooted plants and grasses to capture runoff from roofs and paved surfaces. In this case, the water is filtered through the garden before ultimately entering the university’s drainage systems. Not only do gardens like these prevent erosion; they also play a role in removing pollutants from the runoff.

Shep was very enthusiastic to talk to me about the project and its extra benefits. He told me that perhaps the garden’s most important purpose will be an educational one. It’s really interactive and hands-on, he said. Students in the nearby dorms will have a chance to learn first-hand about an important sustainability practice and maybe will even be inspired to one day build one for themselves.

If you have a chance, stop by and see the garden. It’s located on State’s campus between the Owen and Turlington dormitories just off of Cates Avenue. I am going to make it a point to stop by sometime soon. I am so proud of my brother and his hard work!