Book Review – ‘The American Meadow Garden’ by John Greenlee

Grasses are sensual. You can smell them, and hear them, and watch them move. Meadows are sexy, just like lovers – they never stop changing, never cease to surprise.  –   John Greenlee

So begins ‘The American Meadow Garden: Creating a Natural Alternative to the Traditional Lawn’, written by John Greenlee, beautifully photographed by Saxon Holt, and published in 2009 by Timber press. With a description like that in the preface, I couldn’t wait to immerse myself in a subject I am in love with.

Grasses have captivated me as far back as I can remember. Images fill my mind from my own life’s experiences as well as from some of Hollywood’s biggest epics; Kevin Costner standing on the prairie in ‘Dances with Wolves’, his hands held just above the inflorescence of the tall grass, or Russell Crowe walking towards his estate in ‘Gladiator’,  his fingers awash in golden wheat. That, is the wonder of grasses, they call out to be touched and in turn enliven the senses. John Greenlee shares this passion for grasses, and his vision of a ‘Meadow Garden’ in his wonderful new book on the subject.

Equal parts theory, instruction, reference and display, The American Meadow Garden covers all the bases. In the early chapters of the book, Greenlee takes us on a tour of typical meadows found in many of the different regions throughout the country, and introduces us to the grass species found within each. He tells of his passion for meadow gardens and of their beneficial impact on the environment, and that reducing one’s lawn by converting all or portions of it to meadow, regardless of size, presents one with a chance to eliminate chemicals, reduce irrigation, and provide habitat and food for wildlife, all the while producing an ever-changing feast for the senses. In subsequent chapters, design concepts and the components for creating a meadow garden are detailed, along with a wide array of companion plants that can be used to accent the grasses. A beautiful portfolio of meadow gardens from across the country is included to provide the reader with inspiration before commencing with their project, along with a compendium of meadow grasses, listing species to be used with Greenlee’s notes to guide the reader through this vast array of plants. The final chapters include instructions for the reader to design, plant, and care for a meadow garden, a list of sources for plants, and provide excellent advice on the hiring of a landscape contractor, should one need help.

In all, The American Meadow Garden is a remarkable work from a man who has a deep passion for meadows, and the grasses that comprise them. And as you read this book, you will find yourself swept up in the romance of the meadow garden, and left with a desire to create just such a special place that enlivens the senses and captivates the imagination. And in this day and age, that is a garden space we could all use.

I’ll see you in the Meadow!

Scott

www.blueheronlandscapes.com

Note: With this endorsement of The American Meadow Garden, the reader should also be advised as to the following; some of the plants suggested in this book are known to be invasive species in different regions of the country. It is wise to research each species to determine its tendencies in your region before planting your meadow garden. Here in New England, two great resources are at your disposal; they are The Invasive Plant Atlas of New England (IPANE), and The Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG). Nationally please consult The National Invasive Species Information Center (NISIC). Clicking on each of these titles will bring you to these valuable websites.

Book Review – Bringing Nature Home!

Several years ago, one of the larger insecticide companies, I believe Ortho, ran a commercial for one of its new products. In this commercial, a homeowner wields his spray bottle of lethal insecticide as if he were Wyatt Earp ridding Tombstone of its hooligans. In the background, a score reminiscent of an old spaghetti western sets the mood, as fewer and fewer bug noises emanate from the owners yard until all falls silent. The final scene: our now satisfied homeowner standing tall amidst the solitude, when suddenly a cricket chirps, he reaches for his “revolver”, the cricket goes silent, seemingly in fear for its life. The homeowner smiles.

I’m sure on some level we can all relate to this homeowner, after all no one likes mosquitoes, gnats, black flies, and other various and sundry pests, yet I felt a disconnect with the message.  I was confused (read: annoyed), that this “hero” would target a cricket, in his blanket approach to eradicating all insects from his property.  I knew nature provided many beneficial insects, as well as pests, but I could never really express my concerns to anyone in a way that made sense to them.

“Bringing Nature Home – How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants” by Doug Tallamy, has provided me with the answers I have been searching for. Published in 2007 by Timber Press, and already in its third printing in 2009, Mr. Tallamy’s book explores native plant communities, and the insect populations that have evolved in relationship to them. We learn through Mr. Tallamy’s research that over time insects develop relationships with plants, based on the chemical makeup of the plant’s tissue. Some insects develop exclusive relationships, such as the Monarch Butterfly and Milkweed, while other insects have evolved to feed on and reproduce with various species of plants. An interesting point made in this book is that our native insect populations will gather nourishments from alien plant material, generally in the form of nectar, as adults, but do not reproduce on alien plant material. They have not developed the ability to process the secondary chemical compounds in alien species, therefore younger stages of native insects, cannot feed on aliens. As native plant populations disappear from our backyards, and as invasive species continue to overrun our natural areas, we are left with healthy adult populations of native insects, but fewer places for them to reproduce. All the wonderful plants brought back to our gardens from all over the world, prized by collectors, garden clubs and hybridizers, are unavailable as a source of nutrition, to the larval stages of our native insect populations.

So what’s wrong with that, you ask? Who wouldn’t want fewer bugs around? That is a question best answered by reading “Brining Nature Home”. Insects play an important role in the health of our ecosystems, and declining populations will have devastating effects on these fragile communities. Leaning about these complex relationships is something I highly recommend to any gardener who cares about our environment. “Bringing Home Nature” is an important tool to be used towards the reestablishment of out native ecosystems. No longer acceptable to simply turn our back on nature as we garden, we now have the power to affect positive change on a “grass roots” level, and Mr. Tallamy’s book is a great place to learn how.

Oh, as for our Earp-like hero referenced above; the natural answer to our bug problem, is to allow and even promote insect populations. That’s right, and as they grow, so will the predators of those populations grow, until balance is restored, and nature keeps everything in check.

See you out in the Garden,

Scott

www.blueheronlandscapes.com