This summer I’ve been watching what used to be a manicured lawn turn into a meadow. Seeing the changes month to month has shown that what pleased me in June …
The view from the driveway gives some idea of the size of the Big Meadow.
became even better in July.
Grasses on the prairie used to be called oceans of grass. Now I know why.
I was thrilled. Was the transformation from lawn to meadow going to be as easy as doing nothing?
I’m afraid not. Because in August, the same view is leaving me flat.
The grasses in this August view of the Big Meadow have been flattened by wind and rain as well as by their own weight. Overall, the positive feeling I was getting earlier in the summer is no longer the same.
The grasses still move beautifully in the wind and from a distance the big view looks good. But there is much less green, except for the mown path.
The mown path is essential. Not only does it offer a colour contrast, it shows that the long grass is a deliberate choice rather than the result of neglect.
Viewed up close, the Big Meadow now feels sad. Unlike the promising variety of wildflowers earlier in the summer, there are now very few, and those, such as the occasional daisy-like flowers that are spotted here and there, aren’t strong enough to make an impact.
A huge patch of these might be interesting, but scattered one by one, they appear too weak to hold the space.
The occasional touch of yellow appears, but the flowers read more like weeds than desirable wildflowers.
Is this a hawkweed reblooming?
I can attribute the sad feeling to an end-of-summer mood, and the extremely dry conditions we’ve experienced all summer long haven’t helped. Nonetheless, it is clear that something needs to be done.
Earlier in the season I added a single giant hysspop (Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’) purchased at a local nursery. It has grown well and I can imagine that several large groups of this plant would look good. In fact, hyssop seems to be a good choice in general. Several varieties are available and will grow in my cold climate zone; all like full sun and dry to medium soil that isn’t rich — which describes exactly the conditions I am working with.
This is Agastache Blue Fortune, a hybrid of A. foeniculum and A. rugosa. If it seeds itself, I’ll be happy.
Scattered around the Big Meadow are flat patches calling out for something more. The problem I face, though, is the size of the Big Meadow. It is enormous — on average about 250 feet wide and long. That’s 62,500 sq. feet, if my math is right. To make any kind of statement, I need a lot of plants.
Yesterday I staked out 15 patches that vary in size from around 50 square feet to 600 square feet. (I haven’t measured the areas so these dimensions are guesses more than estimates.) I figure in total I have some 4000 square feet of ground to cover, and that may not be enough to make an impact in the space.
Roping off the areas gave me a better feeling for the size and shape of different areas where wildflowers would make a positive difference.
Planting an area that large with even small plants isn’t an option. As I did with the Agastache, I could buy the occasional plant and hope it will seed itself. But that would take more time than I like. I could plant plugs, but I haven’t found a Canadian source for wildflower plugs and even if I could find one, the cost would most likely be prohibitive. So seeding seems to be the best, if not the only, approach.
But how to do it? And what seeds or plants to use? I have four different types of ornamental grasses growing in different parts of the garden — Panicum ‘Heavy Metal’ and ‘Northwind;’ two types of Calamagrostis, ‘Karl Foerster’ and brachytricha; several types of Miscanthus sinensis and Sporabolus heterolepsis, commonly known as prairie dropseed. Many of these would benefit from being divided, particularly the prairie dropseed now on the verge of overwhelming a section of the Aqueduct. It and the Panicum cultivars are native to North America, unlike Miscanthus sinensis and Calamagrostis brachytricha whose origins are in Asia. Still, I worry that they will feel wrong in the space.
Seeding wildflowers isn’t an easy job. I don’t have the time or patience to start seeds inside and transplant them next year, so I’m considering how to seed on the spot. One idea is to cut the grass very short in selected spots, scatter seeds there and finish by adding a top dressing of soil. Will this work? I have no idea but it is the approach I’m leaning towards.
I’m developing a list of plants that I hope will flourish. Agastache, Echinacea pallida, Veronicastrum virginicum and Verbascum nigrum var. album are on the list, as are different types of Sanguisorba or burnets. Others, like Ratibida pinnata and Patrinia scabiosifolia are possibilities, although I want to avoid adding too many yellow flowers since I expect goldenrod will appear, whether I want it or not.
Do you have advice to share? I welcome your ideas. I also welcome suggestions for plants to use. Since the mix of wildflowers that appeared in June and July felt good to me, and since I am relatively confident that they will spread as the years go by, I’m particularly interested in adding wildflowers that bloom later in the season and that will survive winter temperatures that can drop to -30C. The soil is sandy and dry except in a few precious places, and the area is in full sun for most of the day.
On a different topic, I was delighted to be named as a ‘Garden Maker’ on the prestigious UK blog, ThinkinGardens. A piece written by the inimitable Anne Wareham, who runs the site, makes the case for reserving that title for people who make their own gardens — and for differentiating the name from those used to describe professional garden designers, landscape architects, gardeners or horticulturalists. She names five individual Garden Makers, three in England and two in North America. I was honoured to be one of the group.
Congrats, “Garden Maker”! I have no idea what to plant these days and it all depends on what the deer aren’t eating! Summer where has it gone?
Summer is going, going… soon gone. Deer are devouring everything.
I love the meadow. Waving golden grass with a neat path or two just invite you in but I agree it begins to look tired later in the season. The (tiny in comparison!) meadow which I have gets a mow in late August depending on my mood and the weather, and is then mown somewhat regularly. In my opinion if it’s a meadow look you want you will need to have it grazed or mown rather than let it sit all summer. A prairie can sit all summer, but I’m not thrilled about goldenrod and prefer the daisies and rudbeckia of June and July. Plus I have colchicums in the lawn and they would be lost if the grass wasn’t cut at that time of year.
I’m planting salvia nemorosa and have Asclepias tuberosa and neither seems to mind the mowing.
Frank
We’re planning to mow in mid to late September. Why did you decide on late August and where are you located? The idea of having the field grazed makes me laugh so I guess I’m going for a prairie look. I am equally enthralled about goldenrod. All of which suggests that an earlier mowing date may be a good way to proceed. The only drawback are the Canada geese. Keeping them off the lawn was our original reason for letting the grass grow and it has been quite effective. A nicely shorn lawn in early September may attract them again.
Ahhhhhh. Geese. That would be a problem with all the fresh new growth.
I’m in NE Pa and the August date is based entirely on when things begin to look tired. My ‘meadow’ is really just a corner of my suburban yard which is allowed to grow at will as the crocus and other early bulbs ripen their foliage and the tall grasses and June wildflowers fill in. The most difficult part of an early mowing is cutting the little bluestem which has seeded in, it is just beginning to look so beautiful exactly when I end up cutting and I have to remind myself that the colchicums need room.
Thanks, Frank. Whenever I cut, I seem to be cutting something that is, or soon will be, beautiful. I stagger areas as much as possible, and that helps.
Hi, Pat. I recommend Larry Weaner’s and Thomas Christopher’s new book Garden Revolution for some very detailed information on meadow making. I think you may find it informative in deciding what decisions to make.
Very helpful, James, thank you.
My whole garden was looking tired by August this summer, the result of our extended drought. It has been enough to make me look forward to winter to put it out of its misery. I don’t have any plant suggestions, but I’ll be very interested in others’ suggestions and in what you decide. (I’m flabbergasted by the size of your meadow — “big meadow” indeed!)
The dry conditions have knocked out my garden, too, Jean. Except for the tomatoes which this year were very tasty and prolific. And you are right — it is a BIG meadow for a private space.
I have two recommendations regarding plants. First: Calamint (Calamintha nepetoides). Low, billowy, and blooms in August, when you need some distraction. Second, Prairie Baby’s Breath (Euphorbia corollata). Blooms in August and great fall color. Both are good self-sowers. OK, now I can think of two more. Sea Lavender – Limonium latifolium. Habit is similar to Calamint but flowers are lavender. Also, how about helping the Monarchs with some Asclepias sulvantii? Supposed to be less aggressive than the Common Milkweed.
Thanks, Jason. I appreciate the recommendations. Do you think the Calamintha and/or Limonium would be lost in the tall grass? I like your recommendation for Euphorbia corollata, particularly as it is a self-sower, and will look for some seeds.
Calamint grows about 1-2′, so I think it will do well with most grasses. It is used extensively in the Lurie Garden. The Liminium is a little taller, at up to 3′.
Ok, Jason, I’ll check them out. Thanks again. Hope to see you and Judy next June in Washington, DC.
I wonder how different it is over there?
Here, we manage meadows by repeatedly taking the grass off after cutting. When we cut may depend on just what’s wanted but can be as early as July or late as Sept. Critical thing is imitating the hay meadows as was. Eventually the coarser grasses lose their grip and wild flowers and finer grasses prevail. (a few years, this takes)
But – it must all depend on what was there originally, which is what will reappear from the seedbed.
What was your meadow originally? And has it been fertilised more recently?
Xxxxx
The ‘meadow-to-be, or the meadow-in-the-process-of-becoming, has been a lawn for more than 50 years. It was fertilized about two years ago with an organic fertilizer; Quebec outlawed chemical fertilizers about 7 or 8 years ago. I plan to cut the area in September, allowing whatever has turned up on its own over the past year to go to seed, and will have to remove the grass after cutting in order to give seeds a chance to grow without being smothered.
This year’s experiment was a success from my point of view. A few wildflowers appeared and the grasses themselves looked wonderful for most of the summer. Next year will be another experiment. I hope to add some plants and only another year or two will tell me if my plan is a good one.
Yes – keep at it. I feel sure it will pay off. Xxx
Pat – I’m not sure if you saw my little 4 Seasons in a Meadow video. It’s my Lake Muskoka mini-meadow which is microscopic compared to yours but it might give you an idea for some plants for those cleared-out sections. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-7McMZbGZg
I thoroughly enjoyed your chronicle of a year in the monarda meadow. Great choice of music… I can hear the mosquitoes buzzing and feel them attacking me long distance! Thanks for the link, Janet.