When I think of the word “meadow,” I imagine a glorious landscape filled with grasses and wildflowers swaying in the breeze. While beautiful, these meadows also seem completely out of reach for most home gardeners. But in this episode, meadow expert Graham Laird Gardner, author of ‘Tiny and Wild: Build a Small Scale Meadow Anywhere,’ is here to show us that we can recreate tiny meadows, even on the smallest scale.

In this episode, we learn:

• [03:40] How Graham became the “meadow man”
• [06:27] Living off-grid in Puerto Rico
• [07:54] Why did he write a book about meadows?
• [11:34] We are nature!
• [13:22] What makes a meadow a “meadow”? (and why it’s better than cut flower garden)
• [15:31] Treat yourself to a comforting, soothing moment with Wind River Chimes
• [17:01] Learn self-sufficiency and homesteading with Kevin Espiritu's book: Epic Homesteading
• [18:27] What are the benefits of adding a meadow to your yard or local community garden?
• [21:10] What makes a native plant native, and how much of your meadow should be native plants?
• [24:11] Are all native plants perennials?
• [26:10] Are shrubs and trees what distinguish a meadow from a forest?
• [26:27] How little of a lawn could be converted without significantly affecting the overall effect?
• [27:52] What are the components of a meadow?
• [31:30] Consider seasons and species when planning your planting
• [32:26] Understanding meadow maintenance
• [35:04] What are the basic design elements that you need to think about in a meadow?
• [35:23] Site Selection
• [36:17] Layering and plant selection
• [38:40] Is there an ideal sun exposure for a meadow?
• [39:56] How do you balance the wild and the chaotic when designing a native plant meadow?
• [43:18] Seeds vs plants
• [48:08] Why should you have a meadow?
• [50:04] Where can you find Graham on social media?

Mentioned in our conversation:

• Book by Douglas W. Tallamy, Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants
• Book by Graham Laird Gardner, Tiny and Wild: Build a Small-Scale Meadow Anywhere
• Book by Kevin Espiritu, Epic Homesteading: Your Guide to Self-Sufficiency on a Modern, High-Tech, Backyard Homestead
• Homegrown National Park
• Catskill Native Nursery

For a complete list of meadow gardening basics,

check out the full show notes and blog here!

Thank you to our episode sponsors:Wind River Chimes

This new year, bring more peace, serenity, and magic into your home with chimes. Wind River is a Virginia-based company creating premium handcrafted and hand-tuned wind chimes for over 35 years. If you are looking for a new way to grow joy in your life and find a moment of peace, a Wind River chime is the perfect addition to your home or garden. Plus, it's a perfect personalized gift for your loved ones!

Visit windriverchimes.com and use code GROWINGJOY to receive free engraving on all Corinthian Bells wind chimes.

Quarto: Epic Homesteading by Kevin Espiritu

Take the first step towards self-sufficiency with Epic Homesteading, an accessible, beginner-friendly guide to starting a modern, high-tech homestead with advice on growing and preserving food, raising chickens and bees, utilizing solar power, harvesting rainwater, and so much more. Follow large and small step-by-step DIY projects to power up your homestead quickly, as well as advice on more complex subjects, such as investigating local zoning regulations and permitting requirements, staying organized, understanding your limitations, and designing your homestead for efficiency and beauty.

Grab Epic Homesteading at your favorite local bookstore, bookshop.org, quarto.com, Barnes & Noble, or amazon.com. 

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