Rain Garden to Grow In Neptune City Park
By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI
A rain garden will be planted at
Memorial Park in Neptune City
thanks to the efforts of Kim Nuccio,
one of 30 people chosen to
be a Master Gardener through a
program at Rutgers University.
Nuccio is the daughter of Irene
Allegro, of The Allegro Real
Estate Agency in town.
Her parents are sponsoring the
program for her.
In her presentation, Nuccio
explained that she will plant a
water garden around the circle at
Memorial Park.
The public works department
will be responsible for making
cut-outs along the curbs inside
the circle, digging, and mulching
the area.
They will also have to provide
the initial watering of the garden.
A rain garden is actually a
depression garden, she said. It
allows storm water runoff to be
collected, filtered and absorbed.
She explained that the impervious
surfaces cause all water to
collect and enter the storm drains
and eventually enter the Shark
River.
The rain garden intercepts the
water before it gets to the storm
drain.
Storm water management is a
huge problem, she said. The
rain garden is not the entire
answer, but part of it,
Nuccio said preventing runoff
water from entering the storm
drains reduces pollution.
Nuccio presented a detailed
map of the area and showed
where the water will flow.
The new plan will direct water
into the garden itself.
Nuccio said building small
berms similar to speed bumps
around the storm drain could capture
95 percent of water that gets
into the drains.
Nuccio said she has chosen
red, white and blue flowers, in
keeping with the memorial
theme.
Other greenery chosen is natural
to the area, she said.
They will do well here
because they are from here, she
said.
She said to keep water in the
garden she will dig out part of the
existing soil and put trees and
plants behind it.
Its not that complicated, its
not that expensive, Nuccio said.
The Allegro Agency is donating
all of the plants for the project.
The rest is being donated,
Nuccio said.
Councilman Rick Pryor voted
for the proposal.
We have to do our part with
the pollution, he said.
After looking at the rendering
of the finished product, several
residents in attendance asked
about the height of the trees.
They said they currently have a
view of the Shark River and do
not want to lose that.
In 20 years it might get as tall
as a flag pole, Nuccio said.
The tree is a River Birch and
both Mayor Arnone, who is a
landscaper, and Nuccio said it is a
very open tree and would not
completely block the view.
He said they would investigate
further whether or not a different
type of tree would be more
appropriate.
Nuccio said she would like to
have the rain garden planted by
the end of October so the plants
will bloom in spring.
If we get it in in October, it
will look nice in the spring.
Contact Joanne Papaianni at
joanne@thecoaster.net.
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