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Thinking About Going Green at Home with Rain Check? Here’s Why Now’s the Time

We’re going let you in on a little secret...

Fall and winter Rain Check workshops bring spring Rain Check projects!

While many think of spring and summer as the ideal time to do green improvements made easier through our Rain Check program—things like replacing a broken concrete pad with pretty permeable pavers or putting in a flower-filled downspout planter—there are some big advantages for those who sign up during the colder months.

Understandably, more people start thinking about building that rain garden they’ve been dreaming of once spring fever kicks in. Likewise, a rain barrel is much more likely to come to mind as your flowers struggle through the July heat than it is while you’re snuggled up on the couch for a Netflix binge in January.

That means the Rain Check contractors we work with through the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Sustainable Business Network are usually busier in the spring and summer, and less so once the weather turns cool.

So, if you’ve been thinking about getting rid of some ugly asphalt that seems to become a searing stovetop each summer and replacing it with something green, play it smart: get started now and beat that spring rush!

Some projects, like free rain barrel installations and discounted permeable pavement renovations, can be finished over the winter. More involved projects, like rain gardens, often require warmer weather for some aspects, but taking a workshop now will let you get the paperwork and some other preliminary stuff out of the way so that your project will be first in line come spring.

To encourage projects that manage stormwater management at home and take pressure off our sewer system, we chip in funds—up to $2,000 per property—and will connect you with experienced local contractors. Even if you rent, you can get a free rain barrel or a beautiful downspout planter for just $100 through Rain Check—it’s as easy as taking a workshop and getting your landlord to give the OK.

We’re also making Rain Check even more enticing for those who sign up for the free workshop (the required first step no matter what project you’re taking on) this fall or winter with two giveaways:

Monthly Wrapped Rain Barrel Raffle: Each month between now and February, we’ll be giving away a specially wrapped rain barrel to a randomly selected participant. All you have to do is attend one of our monthly workshops, listed here, and your name will be in the raffle. Winners will have three designs created by Philadelphia student artists and the Mural Arts Program to choose from.

Refer a Friend for Flower Show Tickets: Already participated in Rain Check? Get a friend, family member, coworker—heck, get your barista—to come to a Rain Check workshop by February 20 and you’ll have a chance to win two tickets to this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show. Scheduled for March 11-19, this year’s show will highlight the rich horticultural offerings of Holland, and tickets at the door go for $35.You and a guest could get in for free: just spread the word about Rain Check and tell people to give your name when they RSVP for their workshop. Paricipants must attend the workshop.

Head over to our website to learn more about Rain Check and pick a workshop that will get you started on a green project that will add to your home, save you money and protect our watersheds from stormwater runoff.