Have you been dreaming of incorporating a meadow into your landscape? At Sweet Earth, one of our favorite ways to reduce lawn is with a meadow. You can have a meadow even if you don’t have a large patch of land; even mini-meadows are a better ecological choice than turf.

Last year on the blog we took you behind the scenes on a client meadow project, and today we want to give you an update on that project and help you to transform your own lawn into an eco-friendly meadow or micro meadow.

Meadow Update - Year One vs. Year Two

The first spring after planting this meadow, all of the annuals were in bloom, creating a vibrant space. We made note throughout the rest of the year of any issues, such as patches where germination was poor, where invasives needed to be dealt with, and areas that were too wet. That fall, we removed some of the invasives and re-seeded primarily with perennials and a few annuals. We also planted plugs of Lobelia and Eupatorium in the areas that were too moist.

Now, in year two, the perennials are getting established, setting roots, and out-competing some of the annuals so the space is less lush and colorful than it was in the beginning. This is normal! If you’re on your meadow journey and experiencing fewer blooms or a less colorful display during your second year, don’t be discouraged. Take a closer look and observe how your perennials are getting established.

Here are pics of some of the perennials popping up in our client’s meadow. Pictured across, starting in the top left: Symphyotrichum cordifolium (Heart-leaved Aster), Anaphalis margaritacea (Pearly Everlasting), Echinacea purpurea (Purple Coneflower), Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia), Solidago speciosa (Showy Goldenrod), Pycnanthemum muticum (Mountain Mint), Penstemon hirsutus (Hairy Beardtongue), Eupatorium maculatum (Joe Pye Weed), and Achillea millefolium (Yarrow).

This fall we’ve made a plan to once again remove more of the problem invasives, seed some quick-growing annuals (like Cosmos) and perennials (such as Rudbeckia), and plant some plugs (Verbena, Monarda, and Aquilegia to name a few). Notice I wrote “we’ve” and that’s because growing a meadow is an evolutionary process that requires us to be in partnership with our client.

How to Create Your Meadow

Are you inspired to grow your own meadow? In order to transform your lawn into a sustainable landscape, here are 3 things you can do during the fall to prepare for a spring meadow.

#1 — Conduct a Site Assessment

Select a location for your meadow and determine its topography and soil composition. Note existing vegetation.

#2 — Select & Source Your Seeds/Plants

Select a mix of native grasses (40%-50%), flowering perennials (40%-50%), and self-seeding, flowering annuals (10%-20%). Determine whether you will also plant plugs in addition to sowing seeds. Source your seeds/plants well in advance to ensure you have them on hand when necessary. Seeds can be stored in a cool, dry place until used. I store mine in my refrigerator.

#3 — Determine Installation Method & Prep Your Site

There are various organic and non-herbicide methods of preparing the proposed area for meadow installation. They include solarization, repeated shallow cultivation, sheet mulching, and sod removal. The installation method selected is a factor of time, size of area, budget and weed pressure. Often more than one strategy for establishing a meadow is needed.

#4 — Establish Your Timeline

If you decide to start in the fall, establish all the tasks needed for the project and the timeframe, from fall through next spring; and in year one through year three.

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