Boston Flora

Tag: meadows

  • Friday, May 23, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Planting and Stewarding Native Meadows: An Intensive One Day Workshop with Larry Weaner

    Join Berkshire Botanical Garden on Friday, May 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., for a day of planting and stewarding meadows with Larry Weaner. Demand for native meadows, particularly as an alternative to lawn, is increasing dramatically. That said, few planting types are more misunderstood. Many failures are a result of inadequate planning and management, as well as the use of plants that are poorly adapted to the site and unable to survive in a highly competitive meadow environment. Far better results can be obtained when the plants and processes used reflect the ecological character of our native meadow communities. More than “one-year wonders,” meadows modeled on these ecosystems can provide long-term, easily managed landscapes that harbor a myriad of wildlife and provide color and texture throughout the year. The program will begin with landscape designer Larry Weaner discussing the design, implementation and management of native meadows on a variety of scales and in residential and public settings. The remainder of the day will include viewing on-property meadows including a meadow-in-progress and an area of BBG with high potential for a future meadow planting. BBG members $200, nonmembers $230. Complete information on the sessions and registration can be found at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/planting-and-stewarding-native-meadows-intensive-one-day-workshop-larry-weaner-0

  • Wednesday, March 12, 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm Eastern – An Experiment in Lawn to Meadow Conversion: Exceeding Expectations

    Learn how Sara Weaner Cooper converted her lawn into a wildflower meadow while leaving the turf in place and avoiding herbicide, heavy physical labor, and unhappy feedback from neighbors. After two growing seasons, the results have exceeded expectations enough to be featured in The New York Times in 2024. This Grow Native Massachusetts webinar will take place March 12 at 7 pm – free and open to all. Sign up at https://grownativemass.org/Our-Programs/calendar. Sara is Executive Director of New Directions in the American Landscape.

  • Friday, September 9, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Exploring the Demonstration Meadows at Helia Native Nursery

    Explore three beautiful meadows at Helia Native Nursery, 95 East Road in beautiful Alford, Massachusetts in the Berkshires, on September 9. Learn about the importance of a meadow ecosystem, different methods for meadow building and how to maintain existing meadows to maximize wildlife benefits. Helia Native Nursery is situated on Sky Meadow Farm, a beautiful 109-acre farm. Its mission is to preserve native genotypes through creating seed banks on the farm and propagating native plants in our nursery.

    Helia’s land stewardship on the farm focuses on restoring wildflower meadows for pollinators. Planted 4 and 5 years ago, this tour will feature three mature meadows that demonstrate a variety of planting techniques, seeding and planting, and different maintenance strategies. There will be discussion of invasive species control, meadow mowing regimens, and meadow disturbance opportunities.

    All of the meadows display rich color palettes, showing what can be achieved using native plants. The meadows are all designed with four season interest – a feature that invites frequent visits to experience the changing views.

    An important feature of well-designed meadows is the opportunity for habitat restoration. Plant selections consider the various stages of pollinator life cycles and provide appropriate plants for each. Join tour guide, Bridghe McCracken to learn more. This Ecological Landscape Alliance tour is $33, and members of ELA will receive a discount. Register and learn more at https://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/eco-tour-exploring-the-meadows-at-sky-meadow-farm/

  • Wednesday, March 17, 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Online), and Saturday, March 20, 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (In Person) – Turning Lawns Into Meadows

    Owen Wormser will discuss the effect that lawns and meadows have on the environment in this hybrid Berkshire Botanical Garden class on March 17 and 20. Collectively, mowed turf throughout the United States covers an area the size of Washington State. This makes lawns the largest irrigated ‘crop’ in the country, and the adverse impact of their ecological footprint is truly staggering. Meadows offer the opposite effect, providing myriad ecological benefits–including ongoing sequestering of carbon and significantly increased biological diversity. Meadows are more affordable than lawns, and with the right know-how, they’re long lasting, low-maintenance and very beautiful. Owen will discuss the benefits of native meadows while also explaining how to create thriving meadowscapes, sharing tips and strategies drawn from research and over 20 years of on-the-ground experience.  BBG members $55, nonmembers $65. Register at https://www.berkshirebotanical.org/events/turning-lawns-meadows

    Owen Wormser is a native of rural Maine. Since 1998, he has built hundreds of regenerative landscapes in Western Massachusetts, influenced by his study of horticulture, permaculture, organic agriculture and ecology. In 2010, he started Abound Design, which provides design and installation services with a focus on creating sustainability, regeneration and beauty. Six years later, he co-founded Local Harmony, a nonprofit that promotes local regenerative projects and has overseen the planting of many thousands of native perennials. His first book, Lawns Into Meadows: Growing a Regenerative Landscape, was released in July, 2020.

  • Saturday, July 20, 10:30 am – 12:30 pm – Establishing a Meadow

    Meadows are now one of the more popular native garden types for homeowner landscapes, yet many people remain baffled by how to create one with long-lasting beauty that won’t quickly become overrun by weeds. Using the Old Meadow at Garden in the Woods as an example, Anna Fialkoff, staff Horticulturalist, discusses the first three years of establishing a meadow including design concepts, plant selection, installation, management, pitfalls, and surprising insights gained along the way. The class will be held Saturday, July 20 from 10:30 – 12:30 and is co-sponsored by the Native Plant Trust and the Ecological Landscape Alliance. $26 for members of sponsoring organizations, $32 for nonmembers. Register at www.nativeplanttrust.org.

    Photo by Dan Jaffe
  • Saturday, April 13, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Grow a Meadow, Large or Small

    Saturday, April 13, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Grow a Meadow, Large or Small

    A native meadow is an ecologically vibrant landscape, providing food and habitat to native pollinators and other wildlife. The deep, undisturbed roots of mature meadow plants capture and store carbon. Meadows rarely need visits from lawnmowers or leaf-blowers, thus reducing air pollution and neighborhood noise.  But meadows are not simply lawns or perennial beds gone wild. Understanding why meadows are different is critical to success. Designer Kathy Connolly will lead this intensive Grow Native Massachusetts seminar on April 13 from 10 – 4 at the Mosesian Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street in Watertown, covering everything from the definition of a meadow, to site selection and preparation, the relationship of grasses and flowering species, and useful maintenance protocols. Class enrollment includes Kathy’s extensive plant lists and design resources. This is a great course for anyone, from home gardeners to professional landscapers, looking to take a deep dive into the ins and outs of meadow-making. Registration: https://connect.clickandpledge.com/w/Form/e435c942-ec37-4963-a706-b774bfce8d55

    Kathy Connolly is a landscape designer, writer, and teacher, who brings over 20 years of experience in creating and tending meadows. She works with a range of clients, from homeowners to state parks, to develop meadows and other naturalized plantings, and has taught workshops throughout New England. Kathy has a Master’s degree in landscape design from the Conway School.

    Image from Larry Weaner Landscape Associates

  • Friday, March 9, 10:00 am – 4:00 pm – Meadows 1 2 3

    No one can grow an instant meadow, but in this one-day seminar you can quickly increase your understanding of what it takes to create one. The topics covered include: what a meadow is; what makes a good meadow site; how you can prepare for planting, select plant species, and find seeds or plugs; how to plant; and what to expect from your meadow in years one, two, and three.  Class, which takes place at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, will take place Friday, March 9 from 10 – 4, and is taught by Kathy Connolly, Landscape Designer at Speaking of Landscapes, LLC. Bring a bag lunch.

    Co-sponsored by the New England Wild Flower Society and the Ecological Landscape Alliance. $80 for members of sponsoring organizations, $96 for nonmembers. Register at http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/meadows-1-2-3-2/

    Kathy Connolly has been involved with horticulture, land care, and landscape design for 30 years. As a landscape designer, she helps clients create functional, attractive outdoor spaces with a great deal of attention to plant health (and the health of the planet). Kathy’s specialties include meadows, waterside buffer gardens, woodland edge and shade plantings, deer-resistant designs, and foundation gardens. Her designs emphasize native plants and organic techniques.  Image from www.howtogeek.com.

  • Thursday, December 8, 10:00 am – 3:30 pm – Meadows 1, 2, 3

    No one can grow an instant meadow, but in this one-day seminar on Thursday, December 8 from 10 – 3:30 you can quickly increase your understanding of what it takes to create one. The topics covered include: what a meadow is; what makes a good meadow site; how you can prepare for planting, select plant species, and find seeds or plugs; how to plant; and what to expect from your meadow in years one, two, and three.

    Class will take place at Garden in the Woods, 180 Hemenway Road in Framingham, and is taught by Kathy Connolly, Landscape Designer at Speaking of Landscapes, LLC. Bring a bag lunch. Co-sponsored by the Ecological Landscape Alliance and the New England Wild Flower Society. The cost is $73 for members of sponsoring organizations, $88 for the general public.

    Kathy Connolly has been involved with horticulture, land care, and landscape design for 30 years. As a landscape designer, she helps clients create functional, attractive outdoor spaces with a great deal of attention to plant health (and the health of the planet). Kathy’s specialties include meadows, waterside buffer gardens, woodland edge and shade plantings, deer-resistant designs, and foundation gardens. Her designs emphasize native plants and organic techniques.
    – See more at: http://www.ecolandscaping.org/event/meadows-1-2-3/#sthash.1f6pio1g.dpuf

  • Thursday, May 28, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm – Grow Your Own Meadow

    This isn’t a “meadow in a can” course. Interested in establishing a meadow or caring for an existing one? Join Kathy Connolly of the New England Wild Flower Society on Thursday, May 28 from 6 – 8 to discuss what a meadow is, the role of native species in a meadow, meadow ecology basics, and steps you can take right now to get started. After the lecture, you can purchase books and native seedlings grown especially for this event by the Society’s Nasami Farm Nursery. The class will take place at Nasami Farm in Whately, and costs $26 for NEWFS members and $32 for nonmembers. Register online at http://www.newfs.org/learn/our-programs/grow-your-own-meadow. Image from sitesystems-landscape.com.