This July, plan to plant a neighborly meadow!
This July, plan to plant a neighborly meadow!

WOODS AND MEADOWS NEWS
Lawn Conversion Newsletter | July 2023
A diverse native planting in an urban setting.
Photo by Mark Fiely, Ernst Conservation Seeds

Neighborly Meadows

For many Americans, a neat and tidy lawn projects a sense of hard work, neighborliness, and pride. So, how can we project those same ideals when planting a native meadow? 
Joan Iverson Nassauer provides concrete strategies, dubbed Cues to Care (2020), to communicate care for the land. These are a few of our favorites:
  • Signage: Nothing beats using words to describe what you're doing and why you're doing it. You can order a pre-made sign online or make your own. Your sign could simply say, "Native Planting" or "Meadow in the Making". Or, it could be more elaborate by sharing details on the what, why, and how of your planting.

  • Borders: Mowing the edges of your planting, especially along sidewalks, keeps tall plants from bothering passers-by. Mowing a sinuous edge can make the border more interesting and lead the eye through the landscape. You can also use rocks or fencing to create a physical border.

  • Spend time in your planting: Simply showing up in your planting to can communicate to your neighbors that the planting is cared for, desired, and appreciated. While you're out there, you can complete maintenance activities, get to know the plants that are growing, take pictures, or just talk a walk to get fresh air.
Incorporating cues to care into your native landscaping is a smart choice when transitioning your lawn to meadow. And don't forget - you don't have to convert all of your lawn nor do you need to do it all at once. Lots of lawn-owners find it manageable and less shocking to start the process by expanding their garden beds little by little every year.

Small Species, Big Impact

July is a perfect time of year to start planning your lawn-to-meadow project! Possibly the most enjoyable aspect of planning is learning about and choosing the plant species that will comprise your meadow.
Joe pye (Eutrochium sp.), big bluestem (Andropogon gerardi), and tall Coreopsis (Coreopsis tripteris) are all wonderful additions to a meadow planting. They get tall though - on the order of 5-ft or more. While some areas can tolerate these big beauties, a home in the middle of town may need to choose shorter plants.
Many Pennsylvanians opt for a shorter mix of plants for their meadows. Luckily, there are beautiful, pollinator-friendly plants that top out around 3' high. Here are some of our favorites:
Bouteloua curtipendula (Sideoats grama)
Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly milkweed)
Chamaecrista fasciculata (Partridge pea)
Oenothera fruticosa (Sundrops)
Penstemon hirsutus (Hairy beardtongue)
Zizia aurea (Golden alexanders)
Pycnanthemum tenuifolium (Narrowleaf mountainmint)
Tradescantia ohiensis (Ohio spiderwort)
Sisyrinchium angustifolium (Blue-eyed grass)
Achillea millefolium (Common yarrow)
Agastache foeniculum (Anise hyssop)
Packera aurea (Golden ragwort)
A native seed supplier or nursery can help you choose other little plants that are best suited for your site's conditions. When you're ready to plant this fall, DCNR has a list of suppliers where you can find native plants for your project, here.
Are you a nursery that sells native plants? Reach out to us!

Want to DIY your meadow planting?

DCNR is partnering with Xerces Society, Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and Penn State Extension to create a Do-It-Yourself guide to convert your lawn to meadow! This is still under development but you can sign up here to receive the guide when it's released.

Have a lawn conversion story, training, or event to share?
Email Us
A view of a dense patch of wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) in bloom, with pastel purple blooms, on a sunny day.
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/Conservation/Water/LawnConversion
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