A self-sustaining meadow is the ultimate natural and low-maintenance garden. Before going crazy with wild grasses and flowers, plant a thick ground cover. This tends to work particularly well in weedy areas, since it prevents weed growth. But be sure to start the ground cover in weed-free soil first, otherwise the plant will have to compete while it's adjusting to its new home. In the late fall, after the flowers and grasses have spread their seeds, the meadow can usually be mowed down entirely, allowing it to grow back throughout the following year. Don't forget to compost!

Meadow. Much like ornamental grass, meadows are a great solution for those of us who still want to keep things growing in our yard. These lush fields are generally composed of hardy native plants that will grow back year after year. Check out this book if you are interested in learning more about meadows.

This building's design also contrasts with the surrounding plantings of grasses. The sharp lines are lightened by the waving grasses and the round canopy of the trees.

The side lawn has given way to the side meadow — and nothing could be dreamier than this gorgeous treatment that uses prairie-inspired perennials and ornamental grasses. The designer calls this installation "drifts of naturalistic plantings."The soft, billowy effect is a huge success, mainly because the elements are massed into irregular rows tiered by height. Closer to the home you see the row of tall, slender feather reed grass (Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster') — burnished tips catching the morning light. Next, there is a grouping of Joe Pye weed (Eupatorium purpureum 'Atropurpureum'), with lavender dome-like flowers on tall stalks. Other perennials and unstructured grasses continue the theme in the foreground.And while this area could look hard to naviagate, the tall arbor in the distance suggests otherwise. I, for one, want to meander through the meadow to find out where it leads.Learn more about natural garden design

Native Plants Choosing plants native to your region is a good choice for gardens, as they are well adapted to your specific climate and available rainfall, so they usually don't need supplemental watering. Native plants can also be selected to create habitats that favor local birds and other wildlife. Ornamental grasses are a great alternative to turf grass. Here, various grasses and flowers are interspersed to create a vibrant landscape. The mature deciduous tress shade the house in summer and allow the sun to warm the house in winter.

Creating a low-maintenance meadow is relatively easy, with the development of more compact and lower-growing herbaceous perennials and the use of ornamental grasses. With the current trend of Prairie-style plantings, it's easy to see how this can be transferred to the meadow plantings of English parkland.Allowing the dense, almost lush, plantings to grow hard against these house walls once again sets the house directly in the landscape.

Of all plants that create that feeling of ruralism, grasses are without doubt the most popular. Intermingling drifts with low-maintenance perennials is easy in large, open gardens, but to acheive the same naturalistic approach in small gardens requires skill. It is not a new idea, though, as both the leading Victorian gardeners, Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson, used grasses to great effect in their innovative mixed plantings. Jekyll was very keen on using Miscanthus and frequently used Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' and Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' in her mixed borders.

drift planting

grass

grasses

Of all plants that create that feeling of ruralism, grasses are without doubt the most popular. Intermingling drifts with low-maintenance perennials is easy in large, open gardens, but to acheive the same naturalistic approach in small gardens requires skill. It is not a new idea, though, as both the leading Victorian gardeners, Gertrude Jekyll and William Robinson, used grasses to great effect in their innovative mixed plantings. Jekyll was very keen on using Miscanthus and frequently used Miscanthus sinensis 'Variegatus' and Miscanthus sinensis 'Zebrinus' in her mixed borders.

grass dominant plantings with trees

Prairie grass look

Drifts of naturalistic plantings

Grasses

love this

prairie style

Meadow-like area - is it possible in yard?

Roof

meadow

natural plantings

natural grass meadow

Meadow space

The info link

contemporary with stone siding.

like the wall of grasses with prarie look interspersed

no-mow self-sustaining textured

Natural 2?

GRASSY, BIO-PRESERVE LOOK

naturalisme

perennial drifts

meadow -- ornamental grasses

The organized wildness of this look appeals to me but I would also like a more manicured look

Arbor

under ashes - wildflowers

grasses

back of house

Landscape

Back yard grasses?

landscape

Backyard

tall grasses

grass

meadow

AVL front garden

Garden

Too meadow

love the unmown but controlled look

Mezcla de matas

The meadow planting

color of the house

Lovely green

Grasses

big space, simple but no grass

Praire-style meadow plantings

Meadow

Back yard

Natural landscape

for way in the back - forest look, crowded and taller for privacy

No lawn....

Meadow

nice natural look

grass gardens

Lush!

Landscaping. natural grasses.

Landscape

low-maintainence for hillside? Very appealing.

Neat home!

Shannon

PRAIRIE STYLE PLANTING

too busy and unkept

A "meadow" garden.

grasses

Fabulous!

planting style prairy grass

low maintenance meadow/ornamental grasses

Again, more ideas for back yard hill area.

Like meadow grass landscape

Meadowlike garden

Meadow landscape

housegardenwoodsroof

The landscaping is absolutely beautiful.

Landscape

Creating a low-maintenance meadow is relatively easy, with the development of more compact and lower-growing herbaceous perennials and the use of ornamental grasses. With the current trend of Prairie-style plantings, it's easy to see how this can be transferred to the meadow plantings of English parkland.

meadow

would love something like this -- maybe as natural barrier for watershed?

Creating a low-maintenance meadow is relatively easy, with the development of more compact and lower-growing herbaceous perennials and the use of ornamental grasses. With the current trend of Prairie-style plantings, it's easy to see how this can be transferred to the meadow plantings of English parkland.

low maintenance meadow

meadow

Creating a low-maintenance meadow is relatively easy, with the development of more compact and lower-growing herbaceous perennials and the use of ornamental grasses. With the current trend of Prairie-style plantings, it's easy to see how this can be transferred to the meadow plantings of English parkland.

Nativescapes

wonderful, natural landscaping. Beautiful!

good planting

Meadow

good low water plants

Wow! Talk about wild and free! makes the house feel organic to the space.

Garden

Creating a low-maintenance meadow is relatively easy, with the development of more compact and lower-growing herbaceous perennials and the use of ornamental grasses. With the current trend of Prairie-style plantings, it's easy to see how this can be transferred to the meadow plantings of English parkland. Allowing the dense, almost lush, plantings to grow hard against these house walls once again sets the house directly in the landscape

love the natural look of the grasses, etc.

natural landscaping

Beautiful grasses and natural landscaping

layers of grasses and flowers

Jardin

A self-sustaining meadow is the ultimate natural and low-maintenance garden. Before going crazy with wild grasses and flowers, plant a thick ground cover. This tends to work particularly well in weedy areas, since it prevents weed growth. But be sure to start the ground cover in weed-free soil first, otherwise the plant will have to compete while it's adjusting to its new home. In the late fall, after the flowers and grasses have spread their seeds, the meadow can usually be mowed down entirely, allowing it to grow back throughout the following year. Don't forget to compost!

Meadow?

Maybe I should just let the yard go.

great selection of grasses

terracotta colour

grasses

natural landscaping

Native grass plantings

Planting

Naturalized

Mcguire

Jardin

Grasses for Brad

meadow

The groupings of form and texture

natural grasses

like the drifts

Love the grasses. E Hill lot will take little amount of green grass and would benefit from tall grasses and plantings.

Meadow landscaping.

Great grass layers

Nuées de graminées

meadow gargen

grass

woodland hills feel to it

Awesome

meadow

meadow

Garden

nice natural setting

natural, yet organized and controlled landscaping

Meadow-like garden

rhythm & lines created by contrasting textured planting

Lovely meadow treatment

Prairie Style

nice grasses

so nice and soft but hard to maintain.

Combo rock and stucco

kinda like our place

Meadow effect

Love the drifts.

good for our driveway side

Reed grass, joe pye weed no turf grass!

meadow -- ornamental grasses

totally informal and sensible

This would adapt to the back space to cut noise and view of busy street.

Natural setting. Self-sustaining

Weeds at side yard

Weeds

grasses!!!

grasses

side yard 3

the large textural drifts of grasses & perennials

Wild look area?

Up north spaces

natural park like plantings

Garden

Side yard

meadow

Meadow toward road.

pretty meadow close to house

Back yard - meadow look

Nice use of grasses and naturalistic plantings.

Gorgeous

wild

Messy weeds

for side or back of house

grasses

Everything!

Meadow planting

lots of natural, native grasses

Sydney yard?

landscaping so well planned, that it feels like natural camouflage; wild

meadow landscaping!

Now we're talking!

drought tolerant plants

grasses trees- meadow feel

holy grasses

Meadow!

meadow

Ornamental grasses

Native plantings

could see this in years to come...

wild garden

pretty meadow

native grasses, drought-tolerant

Grasses for texture

Natural field plantings

llanrhydian

for berm hill at back

natural grasses

House

its nature

garden

Roof shingles and metal