Red Oak Rain Garden

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Red Oak Rain Garden

Stormwater management demonstration at the University of Illinois. Managed by University of Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant staff. 🌱💧

The Red Oak Rain Garden is managed by University of Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant staff. It is a demonstration landscape that soaks up rainwater, enhances the campus and community aesthetic and educational experience, and promotes well-being for everyone who visits. Originally constructed in 2006 by Prof. Tony Endress and his NRES 420 class, a 2019 garden renovation honored thi

s original effort and gives it a future. The new planting palette has earned recognition from several conservation organizations. As part of Illinois Extension, the Red Oak Rain Garden Team believes in providing excellence in educational programming and providing accessible programs that help people solve problems. The rain garden does both! The Team creates service-learning opportunities for students and community volunteers and inspires visitors to find out how they can create healthier landscapes where they live. The Team sees the Red Oak Rain Garden as an opportunity for growth, not just for the plants, but also for our community. We seek collaborators from a variety of organizations and University departments to bring an array of talents. Care for the garden is provided in partnership by Champaign County Master Gardeners and East Central Illinois Master Naturalists in coordination with Facilities & Services.

08/25/2026

We loved having Traci Bennett as our Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Stormwater Intern this summer! 🌱 As a University of Illinois Geology student interested in water resources, Traci gained hands-on experience with green stormwater infrastructure, from analyzing MS4 reports to working alongside volunteers at the Red Oak Rain Garden.

In her reflection blog, she looks back on what she learned, the people she met, and how the experience helped shape her career goals.

Read Traci’s summer reflections: https://redoakraingarden.org/2026/08/25/summer-2026-iisg-stormwater-intern-traci-bennett/

University of Illinois College of ACES University of Illinois Extension Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Facilities & Services

A Little About Me My name is Traci Bennett, and I am an incoming senior at UIUC. I am currently finishing my Bachelor of Science in Geology with an environmental concentration. I hop…

08/21/2026

Two more chances to join the EcoReps for iSEE's new Sustainability Walking Tour, which includes a beautiful rain garden (me!). Registration required.

08/19/2026

Welcome back, students! 💕📚

Whether you need a moment of peace, the perfect selfie spot, or place to visit with old and new friends, RORG is the place for you! 😁🐞🌼

07/29/2026

There are blooms galore at RORG right now! Which one is your favorite? 🌼🌧️🐛

07/27/2026

Come visit Urbana Free Library's Seed Exchange area to get yourself some native seed from the Red Oak Rain Garden (RORG) in Urbana!📚🌼🌧️

Maddy from the RORG team dropped off nearly 500 packets of seeds, collected and cleaned by RORG volunteers. They contain 5 different species from the rain garden including: gray-headed coneflower, rosinw**d, compass plant, purple poppy mallow, and nodding onion.

These plants are great for beautifying your garden while attracting pollinators and improving stormwater infiltration.

Learn more by reading a new blog on the process! https://redoakraingarden.org/2026/07/21/collecting-native-plant-seeds-for-future-landscapes/ 📖

Thanks to the Burt Family Foundation that funded the supplies for this project.

07/17/2026

Click through to learn how insects eat certain plant species, and the science behind it! Thanks to Brodie who taught us at RORG recently. 🐛🌱

If you are interested in attending a mini-lesson at RORG, send us a DM to learn more!

07/10/2026

new border, who dis? 🤨

Last month, our crushed granite border redone by Facilities & Services, who added a new layer of rock to level out the border. 🪨 Afterwards, we replaced all of our ceramic tiles and added seven more, which were created by students in ARTS 291 this past spring. 🌱🌸🐛

Thanks all who helped us in this process. Come by the rain garden now to see the transformation!

07/04/2026

❤️🤍💙 Happy Fourth of July from the Red Oak Rain Garden!

Nature has its own way of celebrating, too. As you enjoy the holiday with family and friends, we hope you'll also take a moment to appreciate the landscapes that support clean water, pollinators, birds, and other wildlife. Every rain garden helps create a healthier environment for our communities.

Wishing everyone a safe, joyful, and relaxing Independence Day!

06/15/2026

The Champaign County Master Gardener Garden Walk is THIS Saturday! Swipe to get a sneak peak of what is currently blooming and join us at the Red Oak Rain Garden between 9-4 to discover how native plants and green infrastructure work together to manage rainwater and create a vibrant landscape for people and wildlife! To purchase tickets, visit go.illinois.edu/GWtickets or visit our Linktree! 🌱🪲🌼

06/05/2026

What is missing here? 👀

Our ceramic mosaic tiles have been removed as the RORG team prepares for Facilities & Services to refresh the crushed granite border surrounding the garden. This feature, designed to disperse incoming stormwater and catch sediment and w**d seeds that flow with it, was installed during the 2019 renovation. That’s seven years of hard work! Over the coming weeks, F&S will install fresh rock and the borders will look good as new.

After this work is done, the tiles will be added back in. Look for some new arrivals, made by Catherine Wiesener’s ARTS 291 class this past semester!

Address

1005 W Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL
61801

Website

https://linktr.ee/redoakraingarden

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