Woodland Meadow Native Habitat

Conceived in the late 1990's to demonstrate Backyard Habitat Gardening, as promoted by the National Wildlife Federation, the Woodland Meadow Native Habitat Garden affectionately known as the wildlife area to our Master Gardeners is a teaching area that consists of 90% native plants selected for their use to wildlife as a source of food and shelter.

Classes taught there include proper pruning, hardscape construction, growing native plants, using natives in your landscape, backyard habitat, gardening to attract pollinators, weed identification, starting and managing a meadow, and landscape design.

Future plans include building a bog in your yard, growing bog and carnivorous plants, rain gardening and more to come. Additionally, portions of the area are used for pollinator research, and of course simply as a place to unwind and enjoy nature.The area was fenced off from the horse pasture in the fall of 2002 and slowly planted and added to year to year as funding and grant monies became available.

Master Gardeners are grateful to the Alexander Stewart Foundation for the initial grant funding the project.The pergola was installed in 2006 as a gift of money and labor from the local George Washington Masonic Lodge #143. The pillars were rescued from the old Ag Building when it was torn down and replaced with the new Ag Heritage Center.