James City County/Williamsburg
Master Gardeners

Melissa's Meadow

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Melissa's Meadow is a native plant meadow located on the campus of the College of William and Mary next to the Tennis Center on South Henry Street. This meadow was designed and created as a joint project of the JCC/W Master Gardeners and members of the John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society. Members of both groups continue to share their expertise in both maintaining the garden and developing programs.

The meadow is next to a busy parking area and has four large colored signs with information concerning the plants and the seasons in which they are in bloom or can be seen to advantage. The signs are informative, as is a printed brochure we give away for people to self-educate. Our group gives presentations and seminars on the drought-tolerant plants grown in the garden throughout the year. Every year we also present a theme at our Farmers' Market booth on drought-tolerant plants, often participate in the Neighborhood Outreach Program and work with the JCSA Water Smart Program. In the fall we collect seeds and make them available to outreach programs, such as through the Farmers' Market and several elementary schools in the area.

There are about a dozen master gardeners who help with the maintenance and monitoring of the health of the garden. We generally meet every third Thursday throughout the growing season. Little watering is needed. Little or no fertilizer and no pesticides are used.