The Meadow is a learning landscape of native plants adjacent to the Beach Museum of Art in Manhattan, Kansas.
The creation of The Meadow on the K-State campus will foster:
- a demonstration of sustainable landscaping that requires less watering and pesticide use than conventional lawn,
- a natural laboratory for a variety of both graduate and undergraduate research projects,
- a resource for the teaching of plant identification and native plants establishment,
- an experiential component for Beach Museum tours, allowing visitors to examine, touch, and smell some of the plants depicted in regionally significant art displayed in the Museum’s galleries,
- an extension of the work of Beach educators and faculty across campus to make meaningful connections among art, science, and enjoyment of the natural world.
From a recent Pitch article by Nancy Hull Rigdon: “When complete, the building’s mirrored archway will give way to native grasses amid a backdrop of limestone buildings, a scene intended to highlight the commonalities between art and science. ‘Looking carefully, noticing details, finding words to describe visual discoveries, thinking about meaning and significance — these activities go on when people study the world scientifically, experience it through art, or just enjoy nature,’ says Linda Duke, the museum’s director.”
Volunteers will broadcast seed The Meadow June 21st (Friday) and June 22nd (Saturday) 2013, weather permitting. Interested volunteers can meet at the Beach Museum of Art Arch at 8am both days. To learn more about this project, or to get involved, please contact beachart@k-state.edu