What is the difference between a lawn and a meadow?  A lawn is a constantly mowed and neatly maintained area of grass that is intended to be walked upon; the grass is short and generally appears uniform, especially if it is maintained as a monoculture (only one species of plant).  A meadow, on the other hand, is "wild" in comparison.  There are numerous types of plant in a meadow, of varying shapes and sizes; often dozens, if not hundreds, of plant species can be found in a well-tended meadow.  Depending on how often the meadow is mowed or how heavily it is grazed, the plants in a meadow can be over six feet tall by the end of the growing season.

 

At the Arboretum, the meadows are mowed a few times a year, to prevent the growth of larger perennial or woody plants, such as shrubs or trees.  Paths around and through sections of the meadow are mowed more frequently so that visitors can walk through the area and enjoy it, spotting wildflowers as well as butterflies, and birds.  Click here to see a partial plant list for the meadows; click here to see a partial list of birds reported at the Arboretum.

 

This native bur cucumber vine (Echinocystis lobata) was photographed
in one of the meadows at the Arboretum. (photo credit: Brice Dorwart)

back to the top