The Living Lawn is entering its eighth year of organic turf management and has been maintained following the guidelines of our Simple Steps program taught by founders/co-chairs, Pat Beckett and Chip Osborne.

History

Started in 1998

Since ground-breaking in August 1998, the Living Lawn was designed, built, planted and is maintained by volunteers, in partnership with the Town of Marblehead Recreation, Parks and Forestry Department and the Board of Health. Initial funding came in part from the Toxics Use Reduction Institute of UMass, Lowell, and the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund as well as individual private donors.


The plot measures approximately 2,000 sq. ft. and is situated at the end of Everett Paine Boulevard off Route 114E in Marblehead, MA, on a plot of town-owned land. It borders a 32 acre parcel of conservation land, called Wyman Woods, and is near neighbor to the Shore Lea Nature Center, a newly-renovated environmental/nature center run by our Recreation, Parks, and Forestry Department.

Informal Gardens

It's not just about grass!  We encourage homeowners to reduce the amount of labor and resource-intensive grass they have on their property and expand or add more garden beds to their landscape.

At present, the gardens are informal, managed by volunteers, with future plans for a more educational approach to the garden designs that will serve as a resource for our local schools. The flower, vegetable and herb beds are planted and maintained by a group of volunteers.  We sell what we grow at the Environmental Information Tent at the Marblehead Farmers Market each Saturday from June to October. 

Butterfly Garden

A butterfly garden has been established on the outside slope, facing the ball fields, which we hope to extend round to the back of the Living Lawn to eliminate invasive Japanese knotweed in the bordering woods and replace it with native plantings conducive to butterfly habitat.

Tree Nursery

In Spring 2003, the Trails Committee of the Marblehead Conservancy adopted the shady raised beds inside the Living Lawn to use for native woodland plants and trees they hope to re-establish in Wyman Woods.

Inviting and Beautiful

At the Living Lawn, we strive to make the garden beds a beautiful and inviting backdrop to the turf, welcoming visitors to step into the Living Lawn.  Organic gardens also welcome the beneficial insects and birds so integral to good organic turf management.