Graham Laird Gardner’s new book, Tiny + Wild, is an excellent introduction to mini-meadows, sometimes called micro-prairies. Meadows are all the rage these days but not everyone has the space, time or money to create large meadows.
The answer? Mini-meadows. I first became enamored of miniaturization when I visited the Miyawaki Forest in Cambridge, Mass., essentially a mini-forest.
The concept? Plant a bunch of native plants tightly together and create a forest quickly. We can do the same thing with meadows and we can do it pretty much anywhere … hell strips, fence lines, patios, around your mailbox or stoop. You can plant them in the ground, in raised beds, in containers or even on a roof.
Gardner Gives Us All the Basics …
• Inspiration
• What to Plant
• Designing
• Site Prep
• Planting
• Maintenance
He also offers suggestions for attracting bees, butterflies and birds.
Benefits of Mini-Meadows
• Rewild our backyards
• Minimize mowing
• Foster biodiversity
• Sequester carbon
• Reduce landscape maintenance
• Welcome pollinators
• Beautify the community
Plant Lists
The author offers us a number of plant lists that include his favorite plants:
• Mid-height dry sun plants
• Tall dry sun plants
• Mesic to wet sun plants
• Grasses
• Annuals
• Edibles
• Part-shade pants
• Groundcovers
– Part-shade tolerant
– Sun tolerant
• Bulbs
– Spring Planted
– Fall Planted
Any meadow you plant, no matter how small, contributes to the biodiversity of your yard and neighborhood.
– Will Rowlands
Tiny & Wild – Build a Small-Scale Meadow Anywhere
176 pages, 7.5” × 9.25”
Paperback and eBook $24.99
ISBN 978-0-7603-7623-2
Publication Date: March 7, 2023
Cool Springs Press – quarto.com
