Tiny and Wild

Auteur

Graham Laird Gardner has over 25 years of experience in landscape design and project management in public, private, and non-profit sectors. Beyond his residential design projects, he has worked with agencies such as the Denver Parks Department, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Rhode Island Natural History Survey, as well as many Cooperative Extension offices, Friends of parks groups, and native plant societies.
 
Graham’s diverse experiences, in New England, Colorado, California, and Puerto Rico, have instilled and reinforced his passion to influence and guide the public on best management practices and the importance of creating a unique space inspired by nearby natural plant communities.
 
During his professional career, Graham has gained considerable practical experience in strategic and master planning, site analysis, regenerative landscape design, construction oversight, and landscape maintenance. As we move away from the thirsty lawns of the City Beautiful Movement designs of the early twentieth century toward a more ecological approach to green spaces, Graham is a leader in the new paradigm of high-functioning, water-smart, and low-maintenance landscapes.

Texte du rabat

Denver, CO and Puerto Rico

Résumé
Go low-maintenance and no-mow while supporting nature and biodiversity by planting a mini wildflower meadow with guidance from Tiny & Wild.

2024 American Horticultural Society Book Award Winner

The word “meadow” might conjure an image of a broad, expansive prairie covering acres of land, but it doesn’t have to. Meadows don’t have to be big to make a difference in the health of the planet. If you choose the right plants, even a small corner of the yard will do. In Tiny & Wild, you’ll learn how to embrace your wild side and create a low-maintenance miniature wildflower meadow that’s teeming with life.

The perks of creating a wild planting, even on a small scale, are many. Tiny but mighty meadows help mitigate climate change, foster biodiversity, sequester carbon, and calm the senses. With as little as a few square feet of space, you can create a beautiful, naturalistic planting that supports a diversity of plants, pollinators, and a plethora of other living things, not to mention its visual appeal to human eyes. Author and landscape designer Graham Laird Gardner helps you find inspiration in natural spaces so you can successfully site, design, plant, and care for your own small-scale meadow.

Whether you live in the city or in suburbia, perfect places for a mini meadow are everywhere:
 

• A small corner of the yard
• The pocket-sized area between the house and driveway
• Along a property line
• Flanking the front walk
• Around your mailbox
• Tucked next to the front stoop
• At the center of the vegetable garden
• In a raised bed
• Containers, deck boxes, and patio pots
• In the sliver of land between the sidewalk and the street
  The plant lists and charts in Tiny & Wild share the best plants to include in your micro prairie, and Graham offers plenty of practical advice on planting your meadow from seed, transplants, or mature plants, depending on your budget, the site, and your timeline. Plus, learn how to care for your wildflower planting, including tips for watering, plant care, and weed management.

Discover how small spaces can make a big difference in Tiny & Wild.

Contenu
Introduction: Why a Mini Meadow?
The benefits of growing a small-scale Meadow.
1 Finding Wild inspiration in natural and Man-Made spaces
Using natural plant communities and existing public gardens to spark your creativity.
2 Bringing the Meadow home
Site selection advice to find the ideal spot for planting and learning how to work with the existing conditions.
3 Designing Your Mini Meadow
Function and aesthetics combine to create the perfect Meadow planting.
4 Preparing the Meadow site
How to get rid of existing vegetation and manage the soil to get ready for growing.
5 Planting Your Mini Meadow
Planting methods, tools, and timing for success.
6 Meadow Maintenance
How to water, mow, weed, and care for your micro prairie.
7 What to plant
Plant lists and charts to choose the best plants for your (micro)climate.
Conclusion
Resources + Inspiration
About the Author
Acknowledgments
Index