Rain Garden Rumble 2024

To mark the FIFTH YEAR of our competitive native plant tournament, formerly known as “Mulch Madness”, we invite you to get ready for…

RAIN…GARDEN…RUMMBBLLLEEEEEEE!!!!

Our Rain Garden Rumble tournament takes an educational spin on a sports classic, teaching people about native plants, their benefits, and how to include them in home gardens. Including rain gardens, of course!

Here’s how the competition works:

Starting on Tuesday, March 19, two “games” will be held on weekdays through RORG’s social media pages, where YOU can vote for your favorite plant! The number of votes from the polls will determine which of the 28 plant species will move on to proceeding rounds and ultimately be crowned the 2024 Champion.

How to vote:
Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram @RainGardenUIUC to be a part of the fun! There are some changes this year:

Facebook. Sadly, Facebook removed the option to post polls on timelines earlier this year. However, we still have ways for you to vote:
- On your timeline: “Like” or “love” your chosen species image when we post a match.
- Or in our Story. To view our Stories, click or tap on our profile photo.
Instagram. Voting will be the same as in years past. To vote, view our Story by clicking or tapping our profile photo and vote for your chosen species in the polls!
Twitter. Voting matches will NOT be held on X (formerly Twitter) this year.

Want to compete for a chance to win a prize? SUBMIT YOUR OWN BRACKET!
Not only can you participate in the daily voting polls, but you can also submit your own bracket for a chance to win a gift card to a local business of your choice!

To submit a bracket:

Click on the bracket below.
In the tab that pops up, click the “download” icon
Fill it out with your picks and save the document. Please include your name! Note that you can learn more about the plants by clicking their names in the bracket.
Submit your completed bracket to RedOakRainGarden@illinois.edu by Monday, March 18. Matches begin the following day.

To enter, click on this bracket, download it, fill it out, and send it to RedOakRainGarden@illinois.edu.

Bracket Rules

One bracket entry per person. Brackets must be submitted by Monday, March 18. Matches begin the following day at 11:00 AM.
The winning bracket is chosen based on the ESPN Fantasy scoring system.
A correct pick in each round is shown below:
1. Round 1: 10 points per pick
2. Round 2: 20 points per pick
3. Round 3: 40 points per pick
4. Round 4: 80 points per pick
5. Championship: 160 points per pick

Once the numbers of correct picks are totaled from your bracket, the person with the most points will receive a $20 gift card from us to the local business of your choice. The business must have a gift certificate option available.

“Raining” Champions