Who needs a patch of grass when you can have a field of flowers?
That’s the question gardeners are asking themselves this spring. Many are ditching their high-maintenance lawns and embracing the “less mowing, more growing” trend. And the results look like something out of a storybook. Yes, we’re talking about meadow gardening.
So why are Australians falling in love with meadows? Experts say the appeal is simple: less time behind the mower, more time enjoying a garden full of colour.
Why is everyone obsessed with meadow gardening?
It’s not just about looks. Meadow gardens boost biodiversity, attracting bees, butterflies, birds and even lizards.
But that’s not all. They’re more resilient in hot, dry weather than thirsty lawns, and require less fertiliser, water and maintenance.
“A better way of gardening”
This is something garden designer Steven Vella knows all too well.
In a recent episode of Better Homes and Gardens, Stephen gives Graham Ross a tour of his Blue Mountains garden, where he has planted perennials and ornamental grasses that thrive in cool-climate conditions.
For Stephen, meadow gardening is all about ease. “A lot of the plants are more robust, so they don’t need that fussing about. We don’t cut off dead flower heads. We don’t have to spray chemicals.”
He adds, “It’s a new way of gardening. It’s probably a better way of gardening.”
So what are his favourite meadow plants? Among the standouts are sonata hippeastrums, which come in rich shades of red and pink.
Steven also swears by Amsonia, a soft blue “doer” that stays lush through drought and blazes yellow and red in autumn.
But it’s the Itoh peonies (a cross between traditional herbaceous peonies and shrubbier forms) that steal the show with their flowers in shades of yellow, orange and deep burgundy.
Lawns are out, meadows are in
At Barwite in Victoria’s High Country, artist Ralph Bristow swapped his empty paddock for a living canvas of ornamental grasses and seasonal blooms.
Speaking to BHG’s garden editor, Jenny Dillon, in the September issue of Better Homes and Gardens, Ralph says he gardens as he paints, combining chaos, beauty, and colour.
“It’s not about cracking a formula or copying things. The garden is a personal experience,” he explains.
“When I’m in the garden, I’m completely immersed and floating. As you move through it, you’re drawn to the amazing details and qualities in the plants themselves.”
How to turn your lawn into a meadow
If you’re ready to swap mowing for meadows, gardening expert Jenny Dillon shares her top tips:
- Don’t rip up your lawn all at once unless you have the time, energy, and money to replant it immediately. Otherwise, it will become weedy, creating even more work for you.
- Lawns require fertiliser high in nitrogen to encourage leafy growth. Before you start planting, add an all-purpose fertiliser that will provide your plants with the necessary nutrients to promote flowering.
- Lots of plants are needed to fill the space where a lawn used to be, which can be expensive. Grow from seeds or buy plants in tubestock rather than larger pots. Smaller plants are generally less costly and tend to grow more quickly and be healthier in their new home than larger ones.
- Don’t forget to include access through your flower garden for pruning, deadheading and weeding. This also improves air circulation. Many ornamental plants, especially roses, suffer in humid conditions, and air moisture increases when outdoor plants are grouped too closely together. A path also allows you to meander through your garden..
- Completely replacing your lawn with ornamentals can become overwhelming; consider incorporating some open spaces instead. These areas can be used for seating, where you can sit back and admire your masterpiece.
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