Conversion of Lawn
to Native Meadows
Our Meadow Story.
Starting in 2023, Common Ground Earth started talking to Asbury Methodist Village on the possibility of a grant funded turf grass to native meadow conversion.
Setting Up Test Plots
July 9, 2024
Staying committed to sharing ideas and science to residential home owners on different ways of eliminating turf grass without digging or sod-stripping.
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The methods that we use are easy to replicate in order to prepare an area of your own property for a new native meadow.
Turf Elimination
July 9, 2024
Empire Lanscaping and Environmental Group was out to facilitate our first turf removal spray event. Using an aquatically safe medium to help us stop the turf growth. Our next phase will be to remove any loose grass within meadow boundaries then drill seed.
Established in 1926, Asbury Methodist Village is a Gaithersburg-based, non-profit senior living community that is home to approximately 1,000 older adults. Asbury’s residents and associates have a long history of environmental stewardship and are proud to partner with Common Ground Earth on this project. Asbury is a certified Wildlife at Work site, a registered arboretum through Arbnet, and is home to a 17-acre Wildlife Preserve on its 134 acre campus. Learn more at AsburyMethodistVillage.org.
Our Community Outreach could
not be possible without the
support & consideration from:
SITE ONE
Turf Removal Application
Native Meadow Benefits
Native meadows are increasingly popular for their ecological benefits and lower maintenance requirements. The biodiversity aspects are typically composed of a diverse range of indigenous plants and local wildlife, including pollinators and birds and are more resilient to pests and diseases and require less maintenance, no pesticides, no fertilizers, and no irrigation after establishment
SITE TWO
Turf Removal Application
Seed Mix Plan
NEXT STEPS
Elimination of existing turf (August-September)
GBCI Workshop (September 21st)
Seed bed preparation and seeding (Mid-October)
Plug plant installation (Late October)​
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The Habitat Action Commitee at Asbury
The Habitat Action Committee at Asbury looks after our 17-acre Nature Preserve, Asbury Methodist Village is a certified wildlife work site with a commitment to maintaining an eco-friendly campus that goes beyond just having a beautiful place to live. Asbury is dedicated to nurturing our environment and creating a space that will grow, evolve and sustain hundreds of species of native plant and animal life for decades to come.
Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative
Founded by Asbury Methodist Village residents, Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative (GBCI) is a volunteer-led nonprofit creating intergenerational programs that promote social justice and improve the lives of youth, families, and older adults. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King's vision of a "beloved community", GBCI works to bridge the opportunity gap for low-income communities in Gaithersburg through afterschool programming, mentorship, dialogue groups, and community action.
