The homeowners of this land, in a newer development in Elkridge, MD, are committed to transforming what was a uniform dead zone into an ecologically- rich habitat that includes redbud, arborvitae, yellowwood, magnolia grandiflora, virginia sweetspire, a variety of switch grasses and bluestems, a mix of perennials, like butterfly weed, coreopsis, gaura, and ground covers and creepers, such as phlox subulata, chrysogonum virginianum (green and gold) and sedum ternaturm for in between the boulders. In addition to the pool border, we are working to expand an existing rain garden, resplendent with thriving inkberries (ilex glabra), by adding a dense layer of shrub (viburnum nudum) and wetland plants, like jopai, hibiscus, swamp milkweed, iris versicolor, lobelia, carex, and solidago graminifolia (flat-topped goldenrod).