The Mead Meadow is a wildlife habitat between Mead Hall and Brothers College established this summer. Mowing is reduced to once a year in order to support tree health. What does this mean? Trees are stressed from compact soil, and by not mowing the meadow, the soil has a chance to get aerated with the help of soil organisms like earthworms. This looser soil brings more oxygen to the roots of trees. The 1,200 wildflowers that volunteers helped to plant in August also have deep roots that will further help loosen the soil. The wildflowers planted are listed below.
Connect with nature by walking through the designated footpaths in the meadow. Watch the meadow progress into a diverse floral display with beautiful grasses and healthier trees. Enjoy!
Photo Gallery
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- Pollinator on wildflower
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- Orange coneflower
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- Purple coneflower
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- Wildflowers in meadow
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- Volunteer plants wildflowers
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- Butterfly on bergamont
Wildflowers Planted in the Mead Meadow
Click on the scientific name for an image and more information. All plants are native.
| Asclepias tuberosa | Butterfly Milkweed |
| Aster novi-belgii | NY Aster |
| Coreopsis Lanceolata | Lanceleaf Coreopsis |
| Echinacea purpurea | Purple Coneflower |
| Heliopsis Helianthoides | False Sunflower |
| Lobelia siphilitica | Great Blue Lobelia |
| Monarda fistulosa | Wild Bergamont |
| Penstemon digitalis | Foxglove Beardtongue |
| Rudbeckia fulgida | Orange Coneflower |
| Rudbeckia hirta | Black-eyed Susan |
| Verbena hastata | Blue Vervain |
More information
According to the EPA, “operating a typical gasoline-powered lawn mower for one hour produces the same amount of smog-forming hydrocarbons as driving an average care almost 200 miles under typical driving conditions.”
Wall Street Journal article on the rise of meadows versus lawns.