TRANSITIONING LAWNS TO NATIVE LANDSCAPES
THE TREND OF TRANSITIONING LAWNS INTO MEADOWS IS GAINING MOMENTUM AS A WAY TO PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY, ENHANCE BIODIVERSITY, AND REDUCE HUMAN IMPACT ON THE PLANET.
Here’s a breakdown of the key elements behind transitioning lawns to meadows:
Yardening: This term refers to the transformation of small urban lawns into garden spaces filled with native plants, flowers, vegetables, and even fruits. It reflects a movement away from lawns as sterile, underused space to a more productive and intentional form of urban gardening.
Meadowscaping: This term describes the process of reducing large suburban or rural lawns and replacing them with wildflower meadows. The focus is on creating a landscape that evolves through continuous seasonal flowering, attracting wildlife, and benefiting the ecosystem. Meadowscaping typically involves less frequent mowing — sometimes only every two to three years.
The No-Mow Movement: This movement encourages people to stop mowing their lawns altogether, allowing nature to take over and gradually transform the space into a meadow. Over time, the meadow may naturally evolve into a scrubby, woody area with shrubs and trees, which helps sequester carbon and provide more habitat. However, a key challenge is managing nonnative species, which can outcompete native plants.
Rain Gardens: A rain garden is a landscape feature designed to reduce stormwater runoff by allowing rainwater to soak into the ground rather than flow into storm sewers. Rain gardens can be a valuable addition to meadows, especially in urban areas, helping to manage water resources and reduce the risk of flooding.
The key to design is based on the location. In urban settings it must be attractive to the neighbors and look intentional. Creating pathways or mowed borders can meet town ordinances and ensure the landscape is viewed as a garden rather than an unkempt property. On large rural properties, areas can be mowed less frequently, allowing a natural grassy meadow to evolve.
Choosing the right plants for the environment — considering sun exposure, soil type (dry vs. wet), and shade — is crucial. It’s also important to select native plants that are functional for the ecosystem. Tall grasses and wildflowers not only serve as food sources for insects but also provide important cover and nesting spaces for birds.
Crickets, katydids, and grasshoppers rely on these environments to hide and thrive. These insects, in turn, provide a food source for birds creating a healthy and inter- connected ecosystem. Maintaining a healthy insect population is important for their survival — and for our feathered friends. Birds sing during the day, and insects serenade us at night.
There are many sources available for research and only a few garden centers that specialize in a wide variety of native plants for our area. An ever-changing active garden or meadow with purpose is important for human health too. Let’s merge people with nature in our own yards.