Workshop: Rethinking the Lawn: Creating and Managing Meadows
Transform your understanding of traditional lawns and discover the remarkable potential of meadows in this comprehensive workshop. From their ancient origins to their modern relevance in carbon capture and biodiversity, meadows are fantastic ecosystems and can offer a sustainable and beautiful alternative to conventional grass lawns. Join our expert facilitator as they guide you through the fascinating world of meadow creation and management, exploring how these diverse ecosystems can thrive even in the smallest urban spaces. Whether you're looking to replace a tired lawn, enhance biodiversity in your garden, or contribute to carbon sequestration efforts, this workshop will provide you with the knowledge and inspiration to rethink outdoor spaces. Through hands-on exploration and expert guidance, you'll gain practical insights into creating and maintaining meadows that work with nature rather than against it.
Areas that will be considered during this session are:
- The origins and natural history of meadows - understanding their ecological importance
- Meadow management and development - from establishment to long-term care
- Carbon capture potential in soil - how meadows contribute to climate solutions
- Alternatives to traditional lawns - rethinking our relationship with grass
- Creating meadows in small spaces and urban environments - making it work anywhere
- Soil biology and its crucial relevance to meadow ecosystems
- Seed selection and sourcing - including examination of seeds from a 400-year-old meadow
- Practical maintenance techniques for sustainable meadow management
- Seasonal considerations - when and how to intervene in meadow development
The workshop will include the opportunity to examine seeds from a historic 400-year-old meadow and an activity that will enable you to take some home for your own space, gaining hands-on experience with the materials and techniques that make successful meadows possible.
Meet Michael
Michael is a Senior Gardener at Great Dixter, and an experienced outdoorsman and primitive skills practitioner. He has lectured on subjects of Rewilding, Habitat restoration as well as Foraging, and teaches in Wales, Scotland, Norway and Southern UK. Michael is involved in several biodiversity projects including the restoration of wildflower meadows within several communities around East Sussex, UK.
Price: £85
Note for Southwark residents: Looking to book a free place? Unfortunately, our limited quota of free places for the 2023-24 academic year have now been claimed. We will be releasing a refreshed number of free places, along with a new calendar of workshops, in Autumn 2024 so please check back then. Subscribe to our newsletter or follow us on social media, at the bottom of this page, to be notified.