Meadow Momentum on the Lower Shore
- Brooke Orr
- Mar 10
- 2 min read
Meadows, meadows, meadows. That is all we seem to be talking about in the office lately and honestly, we love it. More and more people across Maryland are discovering just how valuable native plants and native meadows can be for their homes, their communities, and the ecosystems around them.
If you have been hearing the buzz about meadows and thinking, “I would love to do that, but I have no idea where to start,” you are not alone. The good news is that there are local programs designed to help people turn that interest into real habitat.
One of those programs is Yards for Creation, led by the Lower Shore Land Trust. This program works with public and congregational properties in Wicomico, Worcester, and Somerset counties to guide and install native meadow spaces. By transforming underused lawn areas into native habitat, these sites begin supporting pollinators while also advancing the environmental stewardship goals of the organizations that host them. The program currently has funding available and is accepting site applications.
Another initiative helping expand pollinator habitat is Shore Blooms, led by the City of Salisbury’s Green Team Committee. This program supports both native meadow installations and native garden projects for properties located within the City of Salisbury. Whether it is a larger meadow space or a smaller garden planting, the goal is the same: helping residents and community spaces replace traditional landscaping with native plants that support pollinators and wildlife.
Through the Lower Shore Land Trust and Shore Blooms programs, homeowners, public spaces, and other properties can also work toward becoming pollinator certified. To qualify, sites provide three food sources, two water sources, two cover sources, and practice eight conservation actions that support wildlife. Once completed, participants receive a sign recognizing their commitment to supporting native plants and pollinators.
If you are inspired to start planting, the Lower Shore Land Trust’s Native Plant Sale is a great place to begin. The sale offers a variety of native species for different growing conditions, making it easier to find plants that will thrive in your space.
Whether it starts with a small garden bed or grows into a full meadow, every native plant added to the landscape helps create food and shelter for pollinators. And as more people join in, those small patches of habitat begin to connect into something much bigger.
