July

During the summer on Barberry Hill, we manage very little of the open land. Instead, we provide the opportunity for natural systems to take their time, to evolve, and to provide living things with a place to thrive. We do not mow or cut back the meadows (save for walking paths) so that small and large animals as well as a wide variety of insects—most importantly butterflies—can live in a protected environment to nest, to feed, to grow, and to prosper. By July, our meadows are no longer the pristine, green, scenes they were in May, but in their state are more naturally beautiful than the perfectly manicured, cut back, monochrome, spaces indicative of well-kept lawns. Here, plants grow, flower, set and scatter seed, and develop over the summer. It is the symphonic evolution of plant and animal life that is important and inspires us as present custodians of the property.