Garden Design IdeasGarden Ideas, Photos and Tips for Gardening at Home
picture by : Kuttelvaserova Stuchelova / Shutterstock .
Featured in : Garden Design ’s Top 9 Garden Trends for 2023(“Swapping lawn for Meadows " )
In recent years , the trend towards more environmentally friendly landscapes has stay on to grow . Meadow gardens are gain in popularity as more homeowners ditch the traditional turf lawn for more sustainable yard . create native plant colonies that closely resemble those found in nature is beneficial to wildlife and requires few imagination to exert than a traditional garden or lawn .
You do n’t need a large belongings to make a meadow planting . A curbside strip , slope , or other sunny spot is all that ’s necessary . Here are some tips to get you started .
WHAT IS A MEADOW GARDEN?
There are no severe and degraded rules for what specify a meadow garden . These areas consist of plant — primarily regional natives — that are naturalized together to give the appearance of a wild meadow . Though many of these plants consist of flowers , aboriginal pasture meet a primary role . Meadows provide habitat to support wildlife , include bee , butterfly , and other good insect pollinators .
Meadow gardens require no fertilizing and small supplemental water once launch , do not expend harmful chemicals , and do n’t require regular mowing . Not all hayfield gardens are create alike . industrial plant can consist solely of aboriginal , or may also admit annuals or other favorite plant .
PLANNING A MEADOW GARDEN
Photo by : Firmansyah Asep / Shutterstock .
Choose a site.
Find an area in your yard that foregather the criteria for growing a meadow .
Even a small corner of a yard can be dedicate to meadow plants . A curbside strip is idealistic for a meadow garden as long as it receive enough light .
Be a good neighbor.
Front yard or curbside hayfield gardens may be more accepted in some neighborhood than others . verify local ordinances or householder associations provide these eccentric of plantings .
Do your research.
To find out what kind of plants make up a natural garden in your area , claver local meadow or confab with experts at a local nursery , conservation section , or university extension program . Make a list of plants that will flourish in your area , and what potpourri or seed mixes are available to grease one’s palms . If you are endeavor to attract butterfly and other good insect , choose plants that will allow food , tax shelter , and a place for education .
Draw up a plan.
Even though a hayfield garden has an informal appearance , it still requires plan . Here are some points to consider :
HOW TO PLANT A MEADOW GARDEN
Designers : Jay Withgott and Susan Masta . Photo : Janet Loughrey .
Light.
Most meadow plants need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day .
Clear the area of weeds.
This can be accomplished in several slipway :
( Learn gage . )
Soil.
To prepare the grunge for planting , break up the grime in the planting area and mix in a small amount of compost . Add sand or get to as require to improve drainage . Natives be given to grow in poorer stain , so do n’t over - remediate the land .
Planting Tips:
HOW TO MAINTAIN A MEADOW GARDEN
Water.
Provide steady water supply until flora are established . Many aborigine are drought - tolerant and need short or no supplemental water once they have originate a healthy antecedent system . For ejaculate , keep the soil surface evenly moist until plants pullulate .
Fertilize.
Native plant need little or no supplemental fertilizer , prefer lean conditions and poor soil .
Prune.
Dormant plants can be provide over winter to provide food and shelter for songbirds and other wildlife . Cut plants back to the ground in late winter or former leap before they break dormancy .
Mow.
For established hayfield , mow plants to about 2 inch high in late winter or early spring . This will help to keep errant shrub and Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree seedlings from establishing . Mow grasspathwaysseveral times a year , depending on rainfall and the type of grass .
MEADOW PLANTS
Grape Crush New England aster . pic by : Proven Winners
ASTERSymphyotrichumspp .
Zones:3 - 8Exposure : Full to partial shadeHabit : upright piano spreading habitSize:1 to 6 feet grandiloquent , 1 to 4 feet wide , varies by case
With daisy - like flowers in chromaticity of purple , pinkish , white , or gloomy , aster is an important late - season source of ambrosia for bees , butterfly , and other pollinators . This elusive North American native is kind of different grow conditions .
find out asters .
picture : Grape Crush New England asterfrom Proven Winners .
' Little Goldstar ' black - eyed Susan . Photo by : Proven Winners
BLACK - EYED SUSANRudbeckiaspp .
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Full to fond sun , flower best in full sunHabit : Upright spreading habitSize:1 to 9 feet tall , 1 to 5 feet blanket , change by character
Brightly colored daisy - like flowers come about in colors of yellow , orangish , red , or bronze . Flowers of this North American native are an of import food rootage for a wide regalia of wildlife including bee , butterfly stroke , and songbirds .
Learn to grow black - eyed Susan .
Pictured:‘Little Goldstar ' black - eyed Susanfrom Proven Winners .
Arizona Apricot cover flower . photograph by : Proven Winners
BLANKET FLOWERGaillardiaspp .
Zones:3 - 10 , depending on varietyExposure : Full sunHabit : vertical , mounding , or propagate habitSize:1 to 3 feet improbable , 1 to 2 feet wide
Cheerful multi - petaled flowers go on in shiny hues of orangish , lily-livered , or carmine , many with center - catching patterns . This North American native merge well with many other perennial and aboriginal grass .
acquire blanket flower .
Pictured : Arizona Apricot blanket flowerfrom Proven Winners .
' Blue Whiskers ' blue fescue . Photo by : Proven winner
FESCUEFestucaspp .
Zones:4 - 11 , look on varietyExposure : Full sunHabit : Upright spreading habitSize : mean 1 to 2 feet tall and broad , but can motley 4 to 36 inhes marvellous and wide
Fescue is a type of sens with 300 - 400 species , include some that are used in traditional lawns . The finely textured foliage can be green , disconsolate , or red . Some of the best ornamental varieties for meadow garden are blueish meadow fescue ( F. glauca ) . Some such as red fescue ( F. rubra ) may be invading in certain area .
Learn ornamental grasses .
Pictured:‘Blue hair ' gamey fescuefrom Proven Winners .
Prairie Winds ® ‘ Blue Paradise ’ piddling bluestem . photograph by : Proven Winners
LITTLE BLUESTEMSchizachyrium scoparium
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright habitSize:2 to 4 feet grandiloquent , 1 to 2 metrical unit wide-cut
Grown for its striking leaf and graceful habit , footling Andropogon furcatus is an ornamental grass that forms a slow clump . Arching gamey - green foliage appear in spring , turning tawny reddish tan in fall . Seedheads provide food for songbirds , with plants offering winter color and social organisation .
con little bluestem .
render : Prairie Winds ® ' Blue Paradise ' little bluestemfrom Proven Winners .
' Ruby Giant ’ purplish coneflower . Photo by : Proven Winners
CONEFLOWEREchinaceaspp .
Zones:3 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright spreading habitSize:1 to 5 feet marvellous , 1 to 2 feet wide
One of the most democratic North American prairie plants , purple coneflower is a rootage of ambrosia for louse pollinators , with semen point that provide food for songbirds into wintertime . Tolerant of drought , heat , and poor land .
Learn to grow coneflower .
Pictured:‘Ruby gargantuan ’ purple coneflowerfrom Proven Winners .
Evergold sedge . Photo by : Proven Winners
SEDGECarexspp .
Zones:3 - 10 , depend on varietyExposure : Full sunshine to fond shadeHabit : Upright mounding , arching , or spread habitSize:2 to 48 inch tall , 2 to 36 inches wide
Carex is one of the most common sedges , with some 1,500 species . The deciduous or evergreen foliage comes in colors of green , orangish , gold , brownish , blue , or vary . Leaves can be hunky-dory and pot - like or strappy , with a neat mounding habit or graceful weeping form that bestow structure and texture to the landscape painting .
Learn to produce sedges .
Pictured : Evergold sedgefrom Proven Winners .
awing Daisies ® Daisy May ® Shasta daisy . Photo by : Proven success
Mount Shasta DAISYLeucanthemumxsuperbum
Zones:5 - 9Exposure : Full sun to fond shadeHabit : Upright spread habitSize:6 to 48 inches magniloquent , 12 to 36 inches wide
The quintessential summer bloom , daisies grow long - persistent , uncontaminating ashen blossom with a yellowish center that are perfect in cut bouquets . Plants are tolerant of heat , drought , and different soils .
see to grow Shasta daisies .
Pictured : Amazing Daisies ® Daisy May ® Shasta daisyfrom Proven Winners .
Prairie Winds ® ' Cheyenne Sky ' red switch grass . pic by : Proven Winners
SWITCHGRASSPanicum virgatum
Zones:5 - 9Exposure : Full sunHabit : Upright spread out habitSize:3 to 7 feet tall , 2 to 4 feet broad
This ornamental grass produces finely textured foliage in shades of green , blue - unripened or red . gloaming colour is golden yellow or coppery orange . plant are extremely adaptable , but favour average , well - draining soil . Site to take advantage of humble level backlighting in fall , and pass on for winter structure .
Learn to grow switchgrass .
Pictured : Prairie Winds ® ' Cheyenne Sky ' red switchgrassfrom Proven Winners .
Uptick ™ Yellow & Red tickseed . pic by : Proven victor
TICKSEEDCoreopsisspp .
Zones:3 - 9 , depending on varietyExposure : Full sunHabit : Compact mounding habitSize:1 to 4 feet marvellous , 1 to 3 feet wide , depend on the miscellanea
Tickseed produces cheerful daisy - like flowers in an regalia of colors and design . This bad prairie native is tolerant of different growing term , with long blooming blossom that are good to bees , butterflies , and other wildlife .
Learn to grow tickseed .
picture : Uptick ™ Yellow & Red tickseedfrom Proven Winners .
Other hayfield plant include :
MEADOW GARDEN DESIGN TIPS
Design : Eric Groft of Oehme , van Sweden . Photo by : Jason Dewey .
Pathways.
Create gently meandering pathways for strolling and well-to-do admittance for maintenance . A path can consist of stones or pavers , or grasses that can be mop .
Create color succession.
let in bulbs , perennials , and annual that bloom at different times for uninterrupted color throughout the growing season .
Repeat plantings.
Create repetition with alike colour and textures to bestow cohesion and draw the center through the landscape painting .
Keep it simple.
For diminished space , limit your plant life palette so the design does n’t become too in use .
Consider scale.
Pay attending to plant life size . To keep the coming into court of an open meadow , wedge to lower spring up plants no taller than 3 to 4 foot high . Create swaths of plants in varying heights for a layered feel . For little areas , use gnome varieties for a miniature hayfield .
Break the rules.
There is no exclusive definition of a hayfield garden . conflate aboriginal perennial with agile - growing annuals , or emphasize colorful flowering perennials , with grasses run a junior-grade role . interlard some of your favorite flowers that still hold back the look of a hayfield .
Finishing touches.
Include boulders as they would appear in a natural meadow for year - round structure and demarcation . instal a waterfall to re - make the experience of a native stream . Place a rustic judiciary where you may relax and revel your hayfield garden .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the conflict between a meadow garden and a wildflower garden ?
The terms “ hayfield garden ” and “ wildflower garden ” are often used interchangeably , but there can be distinct differences . Wildflower garden may have some of the traits of meadow gardens , but are often grow from seeded player mixture that may comprise annuals or non - native . There is nothing wrong with a wildflower garden , but it may not be as long - lasting , environmentally favorable , or designedly designed equate to a meadow garden .
When should I start out a hayfield garden ?
Site readiness can be accomplished at any clip during the growing season . Plant during cooler calendar month of fall or natural spring . Wait until after all danger of frost is retiring , and allow enough time for flora to get install before the first hard freeze . industrial plant will be more readily available during outflow .
Do wild flower gardens come back every year ?
Whether or not wildflowers give back year after year depend on what types are planted . Seed mixes can lie in alone of native wildflowers , a premix of indigen and non - natives , or both yearbook and perennials . For the good seniority , choose long - last perennials that thrive in your area .
