If you've been considering getting a wood downspout planter for your home through Philadelphia's Rain Check program, now is the time to act!

Beginning on July 1, 2018, the participant cost for the wood downspout planter will increase from $100 to $250.

To get a wood planter at the lower cost, you must:

  1. Attend a Rain Check Workshop before July 1, 2018
  2. Submit the $25 consultation fee by October 1, 2018.
Interested? Rain Check workshops are filling up quickly, so sign up now at PWDRainCheck.org and read up on the program.

Even if you can't make a workshop by July 1, the $250 cost for participants represents nearly $1,000 in savings compared to buying or building a similar planter on your own.

There's even more good news: we recently introduced beautiful, new metal downspout planters, and those will still cost participants just $100. Just like the wooden planter, this new model will come with custom installation, a soil-stone medium for plant support and stormwater filtration, and plants.

Participants buying either planter style will receive species based on their sunlight conditions. All the plants are selected by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, our Rain Check partner, based on their ability to handle stormwater runoff and dryer conditions, making them fairly low-maintenance.

Why the change?

Since launching Rain Check, in 2012, we've strived to keep the cost of green tools down for residents and the department. Keeping these projects free, like rain barrels, or affordable, allowed us to install thousands of at-home green infrastructure upgrades all over the city. Because the wood-framed model of downspout planters come in a variety of sizes and shapes, they are custom-built by Sustainable Business Network-certified contractors and then assembled on-site.

While this increases the time, labor and costs associated with the installation, we are still making these planters available to Rain Check participants at a fraction of the overall cost because we recognize the importance of managing stormwater and engaging Philadelphia residents in the effort to protect and improve our waterways.

For more information, contact us at RainCheck@pennhort.org or (215) 988-8767.

You can also get inspired by checking out the truly creative and vibrant Rain Check projects featured in submissions from last year's photo contest.