The American Meadow Garden : Win A Free Copy of John Greenlee’s Book!

I could n’t wait to get my hot piddling hands onThe American Meadow Garden : Creating a Natural Alternative to the Traditional Lawn(Timber Press ) written by grass and meadow madman John Greenlee , and seductively photographed by Saxon Holt . The book promised tool for my landscape architect ’s udder of trick - philosophical reassurance , figure divine guidance , a new palette of plant , how - to details .

I just read it . It deliver .

Trade In Your Old Lawn …

You experience I ’m no buff of traditional lawns . They ’re stultifyingly deadening and often serve no utile purpose - anybody interpret the neighbourhood child playing in the front yard lately ? They down too much stuff and choke our cute nest . NASA photos put the collective national lawn at upward of 30 million acres . We can get by with a lot less .

John Greenlee is a dynamo of energy and passion when it comes to ornamental grass . I wo n’t take up space with his bio . It ’s all in the book , begin with John ’s childhood memories of “ the field ” , the only unwarranted space in his SoCal biscuit - tender region .

John does n’t insist that everyone plough up their live landscape and blanket the continent with meadows , but he does make a compelling disceptation for meadow garden in more landscape .

From the first page , John and Saxon beckoned me to connect them in a field of word and images , touching on romantic and noetic reasons to seek a “ result to the madness of lawn civilisation . ” vigor , water system and resource consumption , polluted overflow , noise , greenwaste , and loss of home ground are put up as compelling reasons to murder a few lawns . And I agree with the cat that well design , well managed meadow garden are a lot more interesting than swatch of uninspired , billiard - mesa - green sod .

Chapter two delf into the lifelike bionomics of hayfield and the wide mixed bag of anatomy they can take ; the difference between warm - and nerveless - time of year Grass ; and the non - grass metal money that impart unique personality to dissimilar types of grasslands . I took a whirlwind tour of duty of America , visiting seven geographical / climatical zones , learning how their unique environmental factors influence the types of meadows that are most probable to thrive in each .

First Thing First

I was heartened to see that John consecrate space to place analysis , perhaps the most important , but often gloss - over design phase . He explains why successful meadows come from close watching , then factoring into the equation the topography , drainage patterns , soil type , sunshine patterns and survive flora of the each situation leads to successful meadows - sustainable “ systems ” that should need only minimum input and generate few harmful outputs .

Next , the book cast up its sleeves , pull on its brand - toe body of work boots ( sorry , do n’t imply to diss all you Wellie wearer ) and becomes an indispensible how - to gardening book . The plant lists are debase with elaborate information and include design uses for each species , divide into ground cover , filler , backdrop , accents and natural lawns .

In the book of account ’s homestretch , John elucidate for me how it ’s done - territory formulation , weed obliteration ( he ’s not excusatory about the sometimes necessary use of properly applied herbicides , as well as constitutional approaches ) , and flora spacing .

John includes “ post - partum ” tips on raising and caring for your “ novel baby ” . ( If you ’ve learned to summon the forces of nature whenever your hayfield needs a boozing , you’re able to bound off the section about watering , but I found it helpful . )

He cautions that a hayfield does n’t always take after your wish , unlike traditional gardens where Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree , bush and perennials more - or - less stay put . “ constantly , you instal plant where you want them , ” John writes , “ but they terminate up where they require to be .

Such is the never - finish enchantment of the meadow . ”

While John ’s words inform and compel , Saxon Holt ’s photographs be sick a sorcerous tour that brings the rule book to life . The “ design ” photograph each tell a storey of natural beauty , balance , and energy , while the “ this is what the works look like up cheeseparing ” shots capture the fictional character of each works , the way a skilled portrayer reveals the essence of a soul . Saxon ’s lovemaking of garden and plant is obvious in his gifted work .

get ahead A Copy For Your Garden Library !

Post a input for a chance to make headway a written matter ofThe American Meadow Garden

To enter the drawing , register for this site ( or lumber in , if you are already a penis ) and post a remark about this critical review . One lucky succeeder will receive a written matter ofThe American Meadow Garden .

Would you wish to centre over the pages of this secret plan - change Word of God ? Have you contemplated lawnicide , but found yourself shyly standing on the sidelines , waiting for a sign ?

Whether you plant a meadow garden in your own landscape or not , The American Meadow Gardenis a great book to have in your garden depository library or on your coffee table .

On - credit line resource

John Greenlee

Saxon Holt

Timber Press

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