Phases

The four stages of a meadow year, from bare ground to seed set.

Four stages

Every meadow we build moves through the same four phases. Knowing which one you're in is the whole trick.

The phases

germinate   seed in, roots down — autumn to spring
grow        rosettes and grass, nothing tall yet
flower      the head, roughly june to august
seed        heads dry, scythe or cut, seed falls

Why it matters

People panic in the "grow" phase, when a meadow is mostly green and looks like a failed lawn. It isn't failing — it's building the root system that flowers for the next decade.