From Lawn to Meadow.

Sowing and Growing Native Wildflowers.

Thinking about converting your lawn into meadow? Meadowscaping can not only help promote biodiversity & land stewardship, but is low maintenance, drought tolerant and cost effective.  

Late summer and into fall is the time to prepare the site and sow the seeds for early spring blooms & booming biodiversity. Many native seeds require cold stratification for successful germination. This means it is vital that the seeds have a period of cold temperatures and higher relative humidity  before they can germinate. It's safe to say late summer through early fall is the optimal time to sow seed for a successful native wildflower meadow.   

Site Prep:

There are a couple methods for lawn conversion, most effective is turf removal. Lawn soil is then added, creating a new canvas for the seeds to grow. This method will help decrease maintenance required, as all invasive plants have been removed beforehand. The second method is less labour intensive and follows permaculture design methods. This process involves mowing the grass area down low, applying layers of cardboard over the grass, then adding 6+ inches of soil on top of that. 

Plant Selection

My favourite part of meadowscaping is plant selection! Choosing the correct seeds for your site can be so much fun! Important characteristics to note are sun exposure, moisture content, drainage & soil type. Below I have a list of plants that benefit from full sun and dry conditions with excellent drainage. In the colour palette of whites, purples & pinks with hues of brown & pops of yellow, creating an elegant yet wild meadow. 

Large leaf Lupine                              Yarrow

Nodding onion                                  California Oatgrass

June grass                                          Woolly sunflower 

Field chickweed                                 Fireweed

Pearly-everlasting

Adding bulbs like Camas, Fawn lily & chocolate lily add an air of whimsy, while also helping to support and promote the stewardship of Garry Oak Ecosystems. 

Grasses are also important to have in the meadow. They help flowers grow taller and straighter, provide food for wildlife, habitat for pollinators and are great carbon sequesters. By planting grasses throughout the meadow you are also providing aesthetically cohesive flow through the space. 

Meadowscaping with Meadow Wren

One of my favourite fall projects is meadowscaping. This service offers onsite consultation, bespoke plant list & seed selection, meadow installation and continuous maintenance as required. Please reach out to meadowwrenflowerfarn@gmail.com to learn more about seed saving or meadowscaping this fall!