Bad Grass 2024 - David Hunt Library Pollinator Pathway Project
This year, with your support, we are getting our hands dirty and turning a little bit of bad grass into something better with the David Hunt Library Native Pollinator Project.
Three years ago, Falls Village residents planted the island beds on Main Street with a mix of native perennials and grasses providing habitat and sustenance to birds and butterflies while requiring no watering or fertilization.
This spring, we are partnering with the David M. Hunt Library in Falls Village to continue this pollinator pathway to the steps of the library building with a planting scheme of native shrubs and perennials.
Special thanks to Deb Munson and Page Dickey for the landscape design, Meadowscapes by Matt’s Landscaping, and you for making it possible. If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift in support of this project, you can do so here. If you are interested in lending a hand later this spring, sign up here.
Bad Grass 2023 - Salisbury Land Trust Native Pollinator Project
Thank you for stopping to smell the flowers at the Salisbury Association Land Trust’s native meadow project. Vincent Field was donated by George & Virginia Vincent in 2006 and in 2022, with support from members of the community, Salisbury Association Land Trust commenced a project to establish this parcel as a native meadow.
Using an organic process, existing vegetation and invasive species were removed leaving the field as close as practicable to a blank slate. Then, a seed mix was applied consisting of over 30 native flower and grass species chosen for this site.
What you see above is predominantly Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). This is a fast-growing, short-lived plant, often referred to as a pioneer species because it quickly moves into disturbed areas. Over time, Black-eyed Susans will give way to other species and the field of gold will become a more varied tapestry.
This project is not just about providing beauty to the community. These plants, native to our area but now scarce, provide important sustenance and habitat for a wide array of pollinators, birds, and animals.
We hope you will stop back periodically to see this project's evolution firsthand.
Special thanks to the community members who supported this vision, Bad Grass 2023, and to Michael Nadeau of Wholistic Landcare for his time and expertise.
To learn more about the meadow-making process, please enjoy this transcript of a conversation between Michael Nadeau and Jeb Breece at Bad Grass 2023.