When you think of a meadow, you may think of a large open space like an alpine meadow or a
salt meadow on the coast. But they can be smaller spaces, such as your yard. (Check local
regulations before creating.) They are on trend now because of the value of native plants as an
integral part in fighting climate change. Natives are best suited for your local climate by
providing food and shelter for native pollinators, birds, and animals. Additionally, they require
very little maintenance once established, needing little to no watering or fertilization, because
they are in their native environment.

Speaking of utilizing small spaces, vertical gardening is a great way to save space while
expanding your garden. Go beyond the traditional trellis. Everything from wooden pallets to
fences, to a pyramid of planters, to a wall of terra cotta pots can work. You can plant
everything from flowers to food. Trailing nasturtiums that cascade down a fence, to lettuce and
herbs in cute little pots. You are limited only by your imagination.

Roses, Yarrow, Hydrangeas, Dahlias, Zinnias and Impatiens...to name a few of the flowers
that come in that bold and beautiful hue! Use them as a focus point in the center of your
garden or as a low border to carry the color in and around your yard. Consider planting a
cutting garden to bring the color inside to brighten your dining room table or home office.

Take not watering to a new level by choosing plants that do well without. Climate change is
making droughts more frequent and severe. By reducing the need for resources, such as
water, you can do your part to save the planet. One way to save water is to get it where it’s
needed most by using a hydrator which gets water to roots directly and avoids surface
evaporation. Additionally, by choosing plants that are native to your region and reducing or
removing grass lawns, all help reduce the pressure on water resources.

This is a broad trend that encompasses more than just reusing last year’s containers or
planting native plants. It means realizing you have an ecosystem and not just a garden. It’s seeing the big picture. That your garden can balance itself, as nature has always intended, if you give it what it needs and have patience. It means creating fertilizer by composting kitchen
scraps and garden debris. Selecting plants that do best in your micro climate. Collecting rainwater. Not using pesticides at all except in the most extreme circumstances. Everything’s got to eat! This includes good insects that will eat the bad ones. It’s ok for your plants to get nibbled on. It’s realizing more than just the pollinators need your support, the wildlife does too. Planting food and providing a home for them helps to create harmony.

Don’t feel you need to do all of the above. Whatever you can do is great and will help.