Lawn To Meadow Conversion & Meadow Management
Site preparation, establishment and
management for meadow and
grassland landscapes
What We Do
Hepatica Landscapes establishes native meadows and grassland-style plantings as alternatives to conventional lawn and underused open space.
Successful meadow establishment involves considerably more than scattering wildflower seed.
Existing vegetation, soil conditions, site history, invasive species, seed-bank response, surrounding vegetation and long-term management all influence the outcome.
We develop meadow projects around the specific conditions of each site using combinations of native grasses, sedges, flowering perennials, seed and plugs where appropriate.
Projects can range from relatively small residential lawn conversions to larger institutional and natural-area meadow installations.
Meadow conversion may be appropriate for homeowners, institutions, campuses, municipalities and other properties with open areas that are currently being mowed but do not need to function as conventional lawn.
It is particularly useful when the goal is to:
-
Reduce mowing.
-
Increase native plant diversity.
-
Create pollinator and wildlife habitat.
-
Restore ecological function to an underused lawn or field.
-
Establish a more naturalistic landscape while maintaining intentional edges and pathways.
-
Transition larger properties toward lower-input ecological management
Not every lawn should become the same type of meadow. The existing vegetation and environmental conditions help determine what kind of plant community is realistic for the site.
Who This Is For
How the Process Works
1. Site Assessment
We evaluate existing vegetation, invasive pressure, soil and moisture conditions, sunlight, site history and the surrounding landscape.
2. Establishment Strategy
We determine whether the project should rely on seed, plugs, existing native vegetation, selective enhancement or a combination of approaches.
3. Site Preparation
Existing vegetation is managed using a preparation strategy appropriate to the site. Good preparation is one of the most important factors in successful meadow establishment.
4. Seeding + Planting
The meadow is seeded and/or planted according to the site's conditions and project goals.
5. Establishment Management
The first growing seasons are actively managed. We monitor undesirable vegetation, mowing height and timing, establishment of desired species and areas that may require supplemental planting.
Project / Photos
Lawn To Meadow Conversion — [Huntingdon Valley , PA]
A regularly mowed front lawn of the property was converted into a diverse native meadow while retaining defined paths and edges along with a tapering stone wall that kept the landscape legible and usable.
Rather than aiming solely for an instant field of flowers, the project was designed around long-term establishment of native grasses and flowering species grown from wild plants nearby making them highly adapted to the site.
The project area before preparation. There are meadows across the street from this property so we looked at this install as a potential extension of the meadow community that was less than 100' away.
Instead of using herbicides to kill of the lawn we used a technique called solarization. Covering the turf grass with plastic sheets will kill off the grass when applied during the summer months. This creates a perfect window for fall planting and seeding.
While we killed off the lawn, we started the process of installing a stone wall that would intersect the middle of the lawn and rise out of the grade.
With the lawn grass dead and the wall completed, we began the planting process. Placing and planting our local ecotype native grasses and forms took place first and then we followed up with a seeding.
After several months the first wave of blooms began with Rudbeckia hirta blanketing the new meadow. This made way for old field asters, senna, bee balms, little bluestem, Elliots bluestem and much more!
