We call it “The Meadow”, and indeed that is what you find on what used to be a weedy lawn area on the grounds of our partners, the Izaak Walton League of America (707 Conservation Lane, Gaithersburg, MD 20878). The lawn was not in use as a sporting field or other active space, but it did require regular mowing – plus, it received a deluge of stormwater from the adjacent roadway and pavilion rooftop every time it rained. So it seemed to be the perfect location to demonstrate how a native planting can help to absorb rainwater while also providing habitat and beauty!
In addition, this Lands Green Waters Clean project was developed with the explicit goal of demonstrating that a project of this size – 7,000 square feet – could be maintained on a limited budget and with minimal time. That proof of concept would inspire other land managers to consider similar low-maintenance projects on their own property. And every one of these new meadows would reduce stormwater runoff, improve biodiversity, and add beauty to the landscape.
The project launched following a meeting with our partner agencies: the Izaak Walton League as the landowner, and the Chesapeake Bay Trust and the City of Gaithersburg as funding partners. With a thumbs-up from all the partners, the Muddy Branch Alliance submitted a grant application to the Chesapeake Bay Trust. We waited anxiously for the funding announcement, and we were very pleased to be awarded a grant to move forward with the project!
In early 2020, we drafted a landscape design to define the overall area of the meadow, as well as the boundaries and features of a rain garden that would sit within the meadow. The rain garden would play a crucial role in capturing and holding runoff from the rooftop and roadway, allowing water to soak into the ground before heading towards the nearby waterways.
All rain gardens need an overflow plan to manage especially large rain events. In this case, the rain garden is designed to overflow directly into the main meadow area.
The plant list for the meadow focused on plants native to our area, with a robust mix of species to ensure the natives would thrive and outcompete any weeds that inevitably blew in.
From the start, we planned for a low-maintenance installation. We did this through careful site preparation and high-density planting methods. Because we were on a limited budget, we used mostly seeds, with some live plants. Even the spaces between the live plants were seeded to encourage desirable plants to fully cover the ground.
We prepared the meadow area by applying herbicide to remove all existing vegetation. After the herbicide application, we dug the rain garden and installed pipes to help guide the rooftop runoff into the new basin. Then we added the live plants and the seed mixes. The meadow includes both sunny and shady spaces, so we had seed mixes specific for each area.
The seeding approach caused some concern amongst the Muddy Branch Alliance’s leaders and friends! That first year, waiting for the seeds to sprout and grow was nerve-wracking. So much bare ground never looks good. But we were confident in our plan.
It was July of 2020 when the plants and seeds began to settle into their new home. By September, the signs were looking good – and it just got better and better through the first growing season as more species appeared and some even bloomed!
As we emerged from the first winter season, all eyes were on the meadow. Again we were nervous, as the ground looked bare in March of 2021. We checked in with our design partners, Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, who assured us that all was well.
Indeed, as the weather warmed and the season developed, we were rewarded with a spectacular explosion of blooming Rudbeckias, Coreopsis, Butterfly Milkweed, Monarda, Asters, and more – all the way into late fall! Well, at least in the sunny areas. The shady areas, especially under the large (native!) Sycamore tree at the center of the project area, were still looking bare. Again, our design partners assured us this is normal. We expect the shady spaces to take at least a year or two longer to fill in.
As we had intended, so far there has been very little need for hands-on maintenance. Our design partners conducted several spot sprays of herbicide to catch some early weedy areas. The Izaak Walton League staff had a fun afternoon clearing away the invasive Creeping Charlie around the edges. It took a couple of staff members only two hours to take care of that issue. A few mullein have been cut down to keep them from going to seed.
Otherwise, there has been no weeding or other maintenance, and the natives that bloomed in 2021 set LOTS of seed, so we are well on our way to enjoying a gorgeous low-maintenance meadow. Annual maintenance involves mowing the area once a year in late winter. We’ll monitor for weeds, but the success so far indicates that will likely not be a major issue.
The meadow will change from season to season and year to year. Different species dominate at different times of year, and slower-growing species become more apparent as time goes on. We hope you will visit the area several times a year to enjoy this ever-changing tapestry that makes the meadow a magical place.
