“The lesson I have thoroughly learnt, and wish to pass on to others, is to know the enduring happiness that the love of a garden gives.”
Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932)
British horticulturist, garden designer, craftswoman, photographer, writer, and artist
The Bee’s Knees Project
The Bee’s Knees is a project that aims to create beauty across towns and cities in Connecticut in a sustainable way by transforming “empty zones” into wildflower mini-meadows. We hope these spaces work as small wildlife refuges and help to highlight how important our environment is.
Our Pollinators Are in Trouble
Our bees, pollinating insects, and songbirds are in trouble. Their populations have declined drastically in recent decades. We now have only a fraction of the abundance and variety of the insect wildlife that we once had so it is vital to support those that remain by providing habitats such as urban wildflower meadows.
Our Process
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Site Analysis
Analysis of the site is the most important step prior to planting anything. There are four main aspects to be considered when planning out a meadow of any size: (1) light exposure, (2) grade and topography, (3) soil type (4) analyzing existing growth on and adjacent to the site. These four aspects can affect a number of decisions to be made in planning the meadow.
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Seed Mix Composition
Based on our analysis of the site, we can now select the plant species that will comprise your seed mix. The plants that will produce the best long-term results will invariably be those that are found in conditions similar to your site and are native to your particular region.
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Distributing the Seed
The arrangement of plants in the meadow is best done by combining the designer’s creativity with the patterns that occur in nature. Naturally occurring meadows rarely have a homogeneous mix of species evenly scattered throughout the area.
