Here’s a book on making little meadows almost anywhere. It’s all about finding the right location, clearing away what doesn’t belong in a meadow and choosing the right plants for the site and its microclimate.
The book’s author, garden designer Graham Laird Gardner, also explains how to prepare the soil for meadow plantings and then how to water, mow, and weed your wee bit of prairie.
A major advantage of naturalistic garden designs like these over a traditional perennial garden is the maintenance. “Over time, as the planting layers wave together and become more established, maintenance is greatly reduced,” Gardener points out. “Depending on how involved you wish to be, maintenance can be as simple as an annual cut back, periodic weeding, and perhaps an occasional supplemental watering during extended periods of drought to keep your mini meadow looking its best.”
