The Sunken Meadow Saga

The Sunken Meadow is an experimental design-build garden at the Light Song Gardens headquarters in Helena, MT.

The project uses two strategies to maximize water retention, while building habitat and providing food to insects and birds.

Strategy 1: Meadow-style plantings
- A densely planted mix of native grasses and wildflowers with highly diverse root structures weave together to create a living sponge that retains and filters stormwater entering the basins.
Strategy 2: Infiltration basins
- Infiltration basins are shallow, vegetated depressions that hold water on-site.
- Here, two basins work together to form a path and a seating area for enjoying the meadow and watching for wildlife.
- Excavated soil from the basins was used to build up the features so that they drain into the planted areas, increasing the amount of available water.

By the end of the first season, the basins had nearly full plant coverage. Weeding needs decreased significantly, and flowers buzzed with pollinators. Watering needs will decrease as plants establish robust root systems that enhance the soil’s water retention capacity.

Ironically, the project was located right next to a water line that needed emergency replacement in October, 2025. The excavation would have caused too much disturbance to the meadow, so it had to be moved.

A sloped side-yard offered the perfect opportunity to continue testing water harvesting methods. The site was cleared in a day with the generous help of hard working friends. Next, three small infiltration basins were dug out to receive stormwater runoff from the street. Rock spillways direct water downhill from basin to basin.

All of the sunken-meadow plants were moved into the new basins, and two skunkbush sumacs (Rhus trilobata) were added. The water captured in the basins benefits both the meadow plants and the sumacs.

Again, all of the excavated soil was used to build a raised path that drains into the basins and serves as a defined edge, separating the basins from the lawn.

Much more to come in 2026, stay tuned!

Image (top): Sunken Meadow, Sept. 2025

Image (bottom): Infiltration Basins, Oct. 2024

Images (below): Project Gallery | Jun. 2025-Oct. 2025

A dog running on a dirt path in a colorful garden with yellow flowers and lush green trees in the background on a sunny day.

A garden with a dirt path, various plants and trees, a wooden fence, and a small dog walking on the path in the backyard.

Close-up of yellow and red blanket flowers in a wildflower garden with a house and trees in the background.

Close-up of purple aster flowers with yellow centers, with a bee collecting nectar on one of the flowers, set against a blurred green background.

Close-up of a bumblebee on a purple hyssop flower in a garden with yellow and purple flowers in the background.

Close-up of a vibrant orange blanket flower seed head with a round, spiky center, surrounded by yellow and purple flowers in a garden with green foliage and a house in the background.

A garden filled with yellow and red blanket flowers, with a house or building in the background.

Close-up of wildflowers with orange flowers and purple seed heads in a garden or park, with trees and houses in the background.

A lush garden scene with flowering plants, including purple daisies and yellow coneflowers, surrounded by green foliage and trees in the background.

A lush garden with a variety of colorful flowers, including yellow and purple blooms, in front of a weathered wooden fence and trees against a blue sky.

A lush garden with a winding mulch pathway, colorful meadow flowers including sunflowers and blanket flowers, and green shrubbery and trees in the background.

A garden pathway bordered by yellow and purple meadow flowers with a wooden fence and a streetlight in the background, under a clear blue sky.

Close-up of a bee collecting nectar from purple aster flowers with yellow centers, surrounded by green leaves.

Close-up of purple aster flowers with a bumblebee collecting nectar.

A rain garden with various green plants, yellow and orange flowers, and a house in the background.