Tiny and Wild: Build a Small-Scale Meadow Anywhere

Landscape designer Gardner emphasizes the wild more than the tiny in this informative guide. It notes the charms and benefits of creating a non-manicured, meadowlike garden that utilizes mostly native plants that attract local birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. There is plenty of advice on the basics of garden design, the best ways to remove or handle existing landscapes (especially the dreaded lawn), and the appropriate methods to plant and maintain a meadow. Some readers may find the plant guide too short to be useful. But considering how region-specific a meadow is, most readers will likely want to consult local nurseries and native plant organizations anyway. The real strength of this book is its demonstration—through text and color photographs—of the variety and value of emulating natural plant communities in home gardens.