Diverter Garden

Diverter Garden on 15th & Talmage

In 2020, we completed a rain garden at the 15th & Talmage traffic diverter, enhancing the neighborhood while filtering thousands of gallons of water.

Thanks to:

  • Mississippi Watershed Management Organization for grant funding

  • Minneapolis Public Works for infrastructure support

  • Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board for clearing vegetation and providing a swamp white oak

  • Metro Blooms for expert landscaping

Background

In the 1970s, the City installed bermed traffic diverters to reduce cut-through traffic. Over time, they became overgrown and neglected:

In 2016, SECIA’s Livability Committee sought to revitalize them but struggled to find volunteers. A breakthrough came when Professor Gary Johnson’s Urban Forestry Capstone class studied the diverters, ultimately recommending they be turned into rain gardens.

With this vision, a steering committee was formed, and SECIA secured an MWMO mini-grant to design the pilot project. Metro Blooms developed the plan, and community meetings helped build support. By 2019, an MWMO Action Grant, along with contributions from Public Works, MPRB, and local donors, made the project possible. By spring 2020, the transformation was complete.

2025 Stewardship Season

We are meeting at 15th Avenue SE and Talmage Avenue SE once a month, at 6 pm:

  • Wednesday, May 21, 2025

  • Wednesday, June 18, 2025

  • Wednesday, July 23, 2025

  • Wednesday, August 27, 2025

  • Wednesday, September 24, 2025

Please see our calendar for additional information.