Ramsbury Primary Rainscape Project

Our Rainscapes projects work with schools to transform areas within the school grounds, creating green SuDS features that are functional, beautiful, educational and fun!

Heavy rain can overwhelm our drainage networks, causing local flooding and taking pollutants from roads directly into our rivers. This is often followed by long dry periods, so it’s important that we look for ways to slow the flow of stormwater, catch what we need to water our gardens and create space for water to soak into the ground slowly instead of rushing off down drains to either the river or the sewage treatment works. There are many ways to slow the flow and they are known as Sustainable Drainage or SuDS. 

In spring 2018 we returned to Ramsbury Primary School to transform an area at the front of the school grounds.
Our volunteers, alongside parents and villagers worked with our Project Officer and garden designer Wendy Allen. After much digging, barrowing, planting, sawing and drilling the green space now boasts:

A torricelli tube downpipe which feeds rain into a staggered, interconnected row of stormwater planters, featuring a bespoke water wheel.

A rain garden, featuring a bridge and hazel faggots (usually used in our river restoration projects). A rain garden is a depression in the ground which provide a safe space for water to soak into the ground during and after rainfall.

The planters and the rain garden are packed with plants that can cope with downpours and are tolerant of dry periods. Should they need watering, we had already installed a water butt during a previous project at the school.

By working closely with the students, teachers, parents and the wider community we are creating an awareness of the need for wildlife friendly spaces that are permeable for rain to slowly filter into the ground.

 
We received funding to run this project from

This Rainscape was designed by RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show award winning garden designer Wendy Allen. 

To find out more about rain gardens click here  To see more of our Rainscapes click here