Miniature Meadow

Full sun to partial shade

Average soil

Bring the country charm of rural fields to your yard with one or more mini-meadow plantings. These simple combinations of trouble-free grasses and perennials provide months of easy-care color and texture, making them great for replacing unneeded lawn areas. The plants in the plan featured here also attract birds (with seeds) and butterflies (with pollen and nectar), so you get a wonderful wildlife-attracting garden, too!

The Garden Plan

Shopping List

1 ‘Karley Rose’ Oriental fountain grass

Pennisetum orientale

1 plant

Zones 5–9

Alternates: Another 2- to 3-foot-tall ornamental grass, such as pink muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris) [1 plant] or ‘Overdam’ feather reed grass (Calamagrostis × acutiflora) [1 plant]

‘Karley Rose’ Oriental fountain grass (Pennisetum orientale)

2 ‘Ruby Star’ purple coneflower

Echinacea purpurea

2 plants

Zones 3–8

Alternates: Another purple coneflower or other 18- to 30-inch-tall perennial, such as ‘Mohrchen’ sedum (Sedum) [2 plants] or ‘Ping Pong’ phlox (Phlox × arendsii) [2 plants]

‘Ruby Star’ purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

3 ‘Raspberry Wine’ bee balm

Monarda

2 plants

Zones 4–9

Alternates: Another pink bee balm or other 18- to 30-inch-tall perennial, such as ‘Rose Queen’ ornamental sage (Salvia) [2 plants] or ‘Pink Mist’ pincushion flower (Scabiosa) [2 plants]

‘Raspberry Wine’ bee balm (Monarda)

4 ‘Vivid’ obedient plant

Physostegia virginiana

2 plants

Zones 3–9

Alternates: Another 18- to 30-inch-tall perennial, such as ‘Star Cluster’ coreopsis (Coreopsis) [2 plants] or ‘September Charm’ anemone (Anemone × hybrida) [2 plants]

‘Vivid’ obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana)

5 ‘Pink Grapefruit’ yarrow

Achillea

2 plants

Zones 3–8

Alternates: Another pink yarrow or other 18- to 30-inch-tall perennial, such as ‘Crimson Butterflies’ gaura (Gaura lindheimeri) [2 plants] or ‘Rosenkuppel’ ornamental oregano (Origanum) [2 plants]

‘Pink Grapefruit’ yarrow (Achillea)

Planting Plan

Season by Season

Spring: ‘Ruby Star’ purple coneflower, ‘Raspberry Wine’ bee balm, ‘Vivid’ obedient plant, and ‘Pink Grapefruit’ yarrow jump into leafy growth in early to mid spring, followed by ‘Karley Rose’ Oriental fountain grass in mid to late spring. Purple coneflowers may begin blooming by mid spring in mild-winter areas.

Meadow maintenance is easy: simply cut down all of the dead stems in early to mid spring. Divide all of the plants now every 3 to 5 years, if you wish, or let them grow undisturbed. Apply a fresh layer of organic mulch around the plants; then, stand back and watch your mini-meadow come to life.

Summer: ‘Ruby Star’ purple coneflower is usually in full bloom in early to midsummer in southern gardens and mid to late summer in northern areas, with large, pink-petaled, daisy-form flowers. ‘Pink Grapefruit’ yarrow generally blooms through the summer, with clustered deep pink flowers that age to light pink. ‘Karley Rose’ Oriental fountain grass joins the show in mid and late summer, with fluffy, arching, pinkish spikes, and so does ‘Raspberry Wine’, with shaggy-looking clusters of rosy red flowers at the shoot tips. ‘Vivid’ obedient plant might be in bloom by late summer.

Water your mini-meadow during extended summer dry spells; there’s no need for other maintenance.

Fall and Winter: ‘Karley Rose’ Oriental fountain grass keeps flowering into fall. ‘Ruby Star’ purple coneflower and ‘Pink Grapefruit’ yarrow may produce some new blooms now, too, and ‘Vivid’ obedient plant is in full glory in early to mid fall, with spikes of rosy-pink flowers. The purple coneflower, ‘Raspberry Wine’ bee balm, obedient plant, and yarrow also have interesting seed heads that linger into winter.

There’s no need to spend any time on your mini-meadow in fall or winter. Leave the cleanup until spring so hungry birds can feed on the seeds and shelter among the dead stems and leaves.

Digging Deeper