CULTIVATING A MEADOW THAT FEELS WILD
At Harvard Business School’s Chao Center, a diverse native meadow brings color, texture, and biodiversity to the rooftop while demonstrating how living infrastructure can remain dynamic throughout the year. Recover began maintaining the Chao Center green roof in early 2023, joining a growing portfolio of green roofs across the HBS campus. The meadow is intentionally more cultivated than some of the other green roofs at HBS, with ongoing horticultural care focused on guiding the plant community while preserving the character and ecological value of a meadow.

At Chao, Recover’s horticulture team uses continuous, targeted editing to keep the meadow feeling intentional while allowing it to remain wild. Certain aggressive perennials can reseed and spread beyond their desired areas, so maintenance involves selectively managing these plants and creating space for a diverse mix of species to thrive. The result is a meadow with a deliberate balance between structure and spontaneity—where varying heights, colors, and textures work together to create a cohesive landscape.

[PLANT PALETTE PLACEHOLDER — Describe the native plant palette, key species, seasonal succession, and how the selection supports the meadow’s cultivated-yet-wild character.]

Throughout spring and summer, native plants provide nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. As the growing season winds down, Recover leaves seedheads and plant material standing through the winter rather than cutting the meadow back completely. Those stems provide overwintering and nesting habitat for native bees and other insects, while seedheads and remaining plant material offer food and nesting resources for birds.

The meadow may look different from season to season, but it is never inactive. Even during the quieter months, the roof continues to provide habitat and ecological value.