The American Meadow Garden

January 15, 2010
Meadow gardening is an exciting, fresh approach to horticulture. By taking advantage of native plant life and soil conditions, gardeners can create an ecologically friendly yard that requires less water and mowing. Greenlee ("Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses") is well known for his work creating meadow gardens and improving grasses available to gardeners. Here, he focuses on the conditions of regional types of American grasslands, emphasizing throughout that gardeners must first understand local ecology (using professional help where necessary) to be successful. With Holt's photographs, this is a large and colorful showcase of Greenlee's extensive knowledge and great passion for gardening. His enthusiasm will be infectious to those who find a natural look appealing, but others may be put off by the idea of meadows growing in suburban lawns. VERDICT Gardeners who are serious about creating a more natural look will find this book extremely helpful and inspirational in its thorough introduction to planning and creating a meadow garden.Margaret Heller, Dominican Univ. Lib., River Forest, IL

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from October 15, 2009
In a book long awaited by green mavens and horticultural enthusiasts, Greenlees dynamic garden designs are paired with Holts splendid photographs in a beautifully produced, information-packed volume that looks at meadows in the context of garden spaces large or small. Greenlee is a passionate advocate for meadows as fecund and lovely habitats, while stressing the water-saving qualities of meadows as opposed to mown lawns. He describes sunlight and clouds as elements essential to appreciating the aesthetics of meadows, explains the basics of grass ecology, and makes recommendations specific to various terrains for creating evocative effects within a purposeful design. The diverse meadows featured in Holts photographs effectively illustrate Greenlees premises. Suggestions for grasses that can be combined with select perennial flowers, ferns, bulbs, and annuals are provided for sites in regions of all climates with an eye to establishing a compact ecosystem and avoiding the waste of traditional lawns. With a step-by-step guide to planting and maintaining a meadow garden, an A to Z of grasses, and many other invaluable resources, this is the most comprehensive and practical resource yet on this increasingly popular garden type.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)