Above: Sara & Evan Cooper’s front landscape as of summer 2024, two years after starting the transition from turf grass.
Transitioning from Lawn to Meadow without Spray, Turf Removal, or Plastic
Sara Weaner Cooper
In April of 2022, Sara and Evan Cooper moved into their new home in a suburban Philadelphia neighborhood. After one spring and summer of consistently mowing their ~5,000 square foot front lawn, Sara eagerly initiated the process of transitioning the lawn into a native wildflower meadow. She wanted to avoid two things, however: herbicide and heavy physical labor. Leaving the turf in place, she began a turf-to-meadow conversion process that relied on actions that simultaneously weakened the lawn and strengthened her newly planted meadow. After two growing seasons, the results have exceeded expectations. Learn the practical steps they took, the successes and challenges they have so far encountered, and their plans for guiding the meadow to maturity.
Thursday, Nov. 21st, 2024 | 3:00 - 4:15 PM ET
Category: Home gardener
Fee: $25
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Sara Weaner Cooper, New Directions in the American Landscape (NDAL)'s executive director, began her role with NDAL in 2018 as educational program coordinator. In addition to programs for landscape professionals, Sara has added programming for home gardeners, students, and educators. She holds a M.A. in anthropology and education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a B.A. in anthropology and education from Bryn Mawr College. One of her passions and long-term goals is to work with schools on eco-cultural land stewardship curricula. In 2024 NDAL received the American Horticultural Society (AHS) Award for Horticultural Innovation, which recognizes an individual/organization “whose innovations have made the field of horticulture more sustainable and accessible to all.”