URBANA, Ill. — What’s a little friendly competition between plants? The annual Rain Garden Rumble returns this spring, giving nature and gardening enthusiasts a chance to root for their favorite native plants.
In this annual botanical bout hosted by the Red Oak Rain Garden, University of Illinois Extension, and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, participants from anywhere can fill out a bracket choosing which of 28 native plant species found in the rain garden will take home the 2025 title.
From March 18 to April 4, participants can vote daily online and learn more about how their favorite native plants benefit the environment. This year’s contenders include rough blazing star, grey-headed coneflower, the defending champion butterfly weed, and more.
“Native plants are already champions at anchoring soil, filtering water, providing food for pollinators, and so much more, and this competition is a fun way to celebrate and share that,” said C. Eliana Brown, Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant water quality and stormwater specialist. “We hope that returning native plant fans and new enthusiasts learn about these plants and find ways they can include them in their home gardens.”
To play, download a bracket at go.illinois.edu/RainGardenRumble. Fill it out and submit it by March 17 to RedOakRaingarden@illinois.edu. Then, vote daily starting March 18 on the Red Oak Rain Garden Facebook page and Instagram account.
The Red Oak Rain Garden is a demonstration landscape on the Champaign-Urbana campus managed by University of Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant staff. Explore more about rainfall management, including rain gardens, at extension.illinois.edu/rainfall-management.
If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, please contact C. Eliana Brown at (217) 265-0760 or brown12@illinois.edu.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.