The Native Flora of Lexington's Old Burying Ground

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With its uneven ground and listing slate headstones, the Old Burying Ground in Lexington looks like a patch of colonial-era New England frozen in time. The preservation of this site has not only kept alive memories of the dead but also elements of the natural plant community that was likely present when the graves were dug. Maintained as lawn, the landscape here is replete with native plant species typical of dry woodlands and ridge tops in eastern Massachusetts—species no longer seen in the residential yards and parking lots past the cemetery gates. Join Meredith to discuss why the plant community in the burying ground is so distinct, why historical cemeteries are often sanctums for biodiversity, and what this old landscape can teach us about cultivating more ecologically vibrant lawns today.

Meredith Gallogly is the Manager of Operations at Grow Native Massachusetts. She is a skilled botanist, and much of her plant identification knowledge comes from her explorations of metro-Boston area parks and reservations. She holds a B.A. in Biology from Smith College.

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