TEMPLE UNIVERSITY AMBLER TO DISPLAY “GRAYWATER GARDENS” AT THE 2003 PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW
As
the spring semester begins, students in the Landscape Architecture and
Horticulture departments at Temple University Ambler are already hard at
work on a 2003 Philadelphia Flower Show project that could change how
people think about the use of household water.
“I
don’t think many people think about what happens to the water they use
in their houses after it has disappeared down the drain,” said Temple
University Ambler Associate Professor Skip Graffam, one of the
coordinators of an exhibit entitled “Graywater Gardens.” “The idea
is to change attitudes about water usage, to add the idea of water re-use
to the mainstream way of thinking.”
In
addition to displaying an abundance of plants that require less water,
Temple University Ambler’s “Graywater Gardens” will detail how water
used for cleaning may be recycled and used for watering plants and
gardens. The Flower Show will run from Sunday, March 2, 2003, to Sunday,
March 9, 2003, at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
“Many
people have never heard of graywater; it’s something they might not
otherwise know about,” said junior Tim Sivers, a landscape architecture
major from Scranton, who gathered with his fellow students this week to
brainstorm concepts for the exhibit. “If a community takes to the idea,
it can make a substantial difference, but they first have to have some
exposure to the concept.”
The
display will re-create an indoor and outdoor environment, with working
washing machine, sink system, possibly a shower system inside, and lush
garden areas with walkways of porous paving outside. The exhibit will also
have a “sun side and a shade side,” according to Graffam, to give
visitors a better idea of which drought-tolerant plantings prefer sun and
which thrive in shade.
“The
core concept of the entire exhibit is water conservation with the primary
example being a working graywater system. We want to show a wide range of
options for graywater connections,” Graffam said. “The exhibit will
also stress the use of native plantings that require low water and are
drought-condition tolerant. In some respects this is basically
rediscovering an age-old system — before indoor plumbing all wash water
typically went right into the garden.”
The
laundry/washing area is the easiest graywater hookup for most homeowners
and is one of the largest single uses of water in any household.
“The
concept is simple enough that a knowledgeable homeowner could take a
weekend, install a graywater system onto their washing machine and have it
working in no time,” said student Jesse Forrester of North Wales.
“It’s an approachable solution to a serious problem”
A
working model and informative displays will show the step-by-step
filtration process that allows for the re-use of graywater to irrigate
interior and exterior plantings, according to Department of Landscape Architecture and
Horticulture Chair Dr. Lolly Tai.
“There
are certain plant types that actually help to cleanse the water as well as
making an aesthetic addition to your garden. The model home will give
visitors a feel for what they can do with graywater, but the information
we provide will also show the potential impact on a much greater scale; on
a community level,” she said. “Additionally, the landscape design will
incorporate xeriscape principles, a water-wise design concept geared
toward conserving water. Xeriscape principles include practical turf
areas, appropriate plant selection, efficient irrigation, and proper
maintenance.”
While
the landscape architecture students sketch out a working floor design for
the exhibit — a “walkthrough” prior to physically building the
structure — the Ambler campus greenhouse is a hive of activity with
students preparing live plants for the exterior of the exhbit.
Graffam
said the exterior design will also incorporate other ideas for “water
harvesting,” some as simple as a modernized “rain barrel,” which can
capture hundreds of gallons of water. Displays will also provide visitors
with information about the use of cisterns in landscaping, which are able
to capture thousands of gallons of rainwater. The use of porous paving in
driveways or garden paths, he added, allows for greater water recharge.
“Drought
conditions are not just climactic. Physical construction, impermeable
surfaces, and the use of ‘water hungry’ plants may all contribute to
periods of drought,” he said. “An important point that we want to make
is that you can still create a beautiful, lush design without requiring
massive amounts of water.”
Temple
University returns to the Flower Show in the Academic Education category
after taking home a “Best of Show” award in the division for its Green
Roof Technology exhibit in 2002. Ambler students will be involved in the
2003 exhibit from the initial designs through construction and display at
the Flower Show in March.
“There
is nothing like hands-on experience in our profession,” said Rebecca
Giordon of New Hope. “Working on this project for the Flower Show gives
me the opportunity to build a structure, an experience that I might not
have otherwise had.”
Temple
University Ambler has a long and illustrious history with the Pennsylvania
Horticultural Society, which produces the Philadelphia Flower Show, taking
home “Best of Show” awards in
1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1997, and 2002.
For
further information on Temple University Ambler’s 2003 Philadelphia
Flower Show project, contact the Department of Landscape Architecture and
Horticulture at 215-283-1292.
Temple University Ambler College is dedicated to promoting sustainable communities, effective land use, and environmental awareness. Students can choose from a B.S. and M.S. in Community and Regional Planning; B.S., A.S., or credit certificate programs in Horticulture; or a B.S. in Landscape Architecture. Students may begin over 100 Temple undergraduate programs and complete a variety of degree programs in areas such as liberal arts, business, education, communications, and nursing at Ambler. For more information on Temple University Ambler’s undergraduate programs, call 215-283-1500
CONTACT: James Duffy, (215) 283-1290, duffyj@temple.edu release available by e-mail
