Wooly Wellesley

A Botanic Gardens Baaaananza

Sheep are grazing at Meandering Meadow near Paramecium Pond as part of the Botanic Gardens meadow diversification project. Through grazing, seeding and planting, the Botanic Gardens aims to increase the diversity of native New England species, improve wildlife habitat, and enhance the meadow's beauty. Come say hello to the wooly grazers!

2025 Schedule

May 2nd, 11am - 12:30pm

Wool dying with natural dyes with Paulson.

May 5th, 1pm - 3pm

Live drawing session with the Art Dept.

May 5th 2pm - 4pm , May 6th, 1pm - 3pm, AND May 8th 9am - 11am

Ask a Horticulturist with Wellesley College Botanic Gardens staff. Learn about our plans for Meandering Meadow and any other botanic garden related questions you may have!

Daily May 3rd - 9th, 11:30am - 12:30pm

Ask a Farmer with Natick Community Organic Farm. Learn about animal care and sustainable farming practices from NCOF's Livestock Manager, Haley Goulet.

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Events will be hosted at Meandering Meadow and Ancestor Oak Circle, adjacent to Paramecium Pond.

Why are there sheep on campus?

Utilizing sheep to help us manage Meandering Meadow provides multi-faceted benefits to the campus community.

"Mow" the meadow for us without the use of fossil fuels
Demonstrate the traditional practice of grazing to manage land in New England on a suburban college campus
Increase well-being during reading and finals period with opportunities to observe the adorable animals and participate in community events

Natick Community Organic Farm (NCOF)

The sheep visiting Wellesley campus are from the Natick Community Organic Farm (NCOF), a non-profit, certified organic farm. NCOF offers hands-on education, farm products, and productive open space for all ages, year round. NCOF's mission is defined by three priorities: learning through the land, enhancing food security, and protecting the environment.

Meandering Meadow

A meadow ecosystem is an open space composed primarily of grasses and herbaceous plants.

The goal of the grazing and planting program at Meandering Meadow in the Botanic Gardens is to transition this area from a cool season meadow to a warm season meadow and introduce a larger variety of wildflowers.

After the sheep graze in early May, WCBG staff and interns will plant the area with 60 native New England meadow species by directly sowing seeds in the meadow and planting plugs grown in WCBG's Teaching and Research Greenhouses.

Through this project, we're excited to create a demonstration meadow, increase habitat and food sources for pollinators, birds and other wildlife, and provide beauty throughout all four seasons.

Why grazing?

In addition to our sheer excitement about bringing sheep to campus, we are pursuing grazing as an alternative management technique to the previously used mowing program in an effort to:

Reduce the cover of dewberry which has been crowding out grasses,
Decrease the accumulated thatch layer that builds as plant cuttings are left behind after mowing,
Create open spaces within the meadow for wildflowers to take root, and
Infuse the soil with the age-old organic fertilizer: manure!