If you’re looking for an alternative to a traditional lawn, a native meadow is a great option. A meadow is a natural or semi-natural area composed of native grasses, wildflowers, and other plants adapted to the local environment. Meadows promote biodiversity, support pollinators, and require less maintenance compared to traditional lawns.

Despite their many benefits, native meadows are not a “set it and forget it” option. For long term success and beauty, meadows require regular annual maintenance.

How can you pick between meadow vs. lawn? This guide will explore the differences and help you decide.

Environmental Considerations of Meadows Vs. Lawns

One of the most significant differences between meadows and traditional lawns is their ecological impact. Typically, lawns require higher resource inputs for maintenance and have limited environmental benefits. In contrast, meadows require fewer resource inputs while providing ecological uplift to a landscape.

Native Meadows Support Greater Biodiversity

Native meadows are rich ecosystems composed of a diverse mix of native wildflowers and grasses. They are an important source of food and shelter for many pollinator species such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

In contrast, traditional lawns consisting of a monoculture or blend of non-native grasses offer little to no habitat value for local wildlife. Lawns may support a few species, but they cannot match the ecological diversity of meadows.

Meadows Are Not Silent

Unlike lawns, meadows are not silent. The presence of insects and birds makes them loud. Being of natural origins, for many this sound will be a calming white noise, much like having a waterfall in the background.

Native Meadows Require Less Fertilizer, Water, and Pesticides

Typically, meadows require fewer fertilizer and pesticide inputs than lawns. Most native plants have modest nutrient requirements and thus are adapted to thrive on soils with poor fertility. Because they have evolved in the locations where they are being used, they are tolerant of naturally occurring disease and insect pests.

In contrast, lawns require regular fertilizer and herbicide applications to maintain their appearance, which can lead to runoff and contamination of nearby waterways.

Water Usage of Meadows vs. Lawns

The grasses and wildflowers of native meadows are better adapted to tolerate drought than traditional lawns. They have evolved without supplemental irrigation and have roots that seek out moisture deep in the soil. In contrast, during a drought, shallow rooted lawns require regular irrigation.

Are Native Meadows or Lawns More Ecologically Sustainable?

If your primary concern is supporting your local ecosystem, native meadows are the more sustainable choice. 

Meadows contribute to soil health by preventing erosion, improving water infiltration, and increasing organic matter in the soil. The diverse plant life promotes a healthier, more resilient ecosystem.

Traditional lawns, with their shallow root systems, are less effective at promoting soil health. In addition, water infiltrates lawns at a slower rate than meadows.

Maintenance Requirements of Meadows Vs. Lawns

Another significant difference between meadows and lawns is their respective maintenance requirements. 

What to Expect When Maintaining a Meadow

Meadows are not no maintenance landscapes; they are low maintenance landscapes. A key part of this maintenance is weed control. Extra efforts made to monitor and control weeds in the early years of a meadow’s life will reduce the efforts needed in subsequent years.

During the Establishment Period (First Growing Season)

Maintenance requirements will be highest during the meadow establishment period. During this time the meadow should be trimmed to half knee height any time vegetation reaches knee height. By doing so you will reduce competition by fast growing annual weeds for sunlight, water, and nutrients.

Weed management is also critical during the establishment period. You’ll need to stay vigilant for problem weeds, employing a mix of hand-pulling or spot-spraying with approved herbicides.

For sites not overwhelmed with invasive species, a little extra effort in the first three years will mean less effort  in subsequent years.

Post-Establishment Period (After the 2nd Growing Season)

After a meadow has been successfully established, maintenance requirements become simpler.

In late winter or early spring, prior to onset of new growth, trim the meadow close to the ground (1-2″). If thatch, or clippings, are thick, mow the site twice with the first pass perpendicular to the second. The first should be at 3 to 4″ and the second at 1-2″. This improves the speed at which the soil warms, helping native plants flourish and compete with weed species. It is important to continue to monitor and control problem weeds.

Note: Certain pollinator species overwinter in the dead stems of herbaceous plants. Some do not emerge until late June or early July. For this reason, we recommend leaving up to one-third of your meadow unmowed each year and rotating the unmowed plot every year.

Lawn Maintenance Requirements

Maintaining a lawn is a far more time-consuming task. They require frequent upkeep to maintain uniformity and aesthetics. For example, lawns generally require:

• Consistent watering of around 1” to 1.5” per week and much more during the germination or rooting phase.
• Weekly mowing to a consistent height during the growing season.
• Annual fertilizer application.
• Weed treatment with pre-emergent herbicides and spot treatments throughout the growing season.
• Aeration every 1-2 years to maintain soil health.
• Potential reseeding every 1-2 years to repair bare patches and keep grass thick and healthy.

Simply put, lawns are an artificial environment that generally doesn’t exist in nature. This means they’ll require constant intervention to maintain a healthy and visually uniform appearance.

Meadows vs. Lawns: Cost Considerations

In most regions, a seeded meadow will be significantly cheaper than a seeded lawn over time as demonstrated by this Xerces Society analysis. 

Let’s look at three key phases of the lawn/meadow ownership picture to illustrate this:

Preparation and Materials Costs

The one area where meadows can be more expensive is the seed mix. However, even though native meadow mixes are more costly than turf mixes, the cost of site preparation can offset this.

Native meadows thrive on “poor” soils when compared to lawns. Meadows often only require thorough tilling and removal of invasive species. On the other hand, a lawn typically requires more intensive soil preparation, including grading, tilling, liming, and fertilizing to ensure it’s suitable for grass growth.

Establishment Costs

Establishing a lawn can be quite challenging and requires regular labor:

• Newly planted lawns need regular, often daily, watering until the grass is established.
• To encourage healthy growth, lawns may require initial and ongoing applications of fertilizers. 
• Pre-emergent herbicides are needed to prevent weeds from overtaking the new grass, and ongoing chemical treatments are required to keep the grass healthy and uniform.
• Lawns also sometimes need reseeding or sod replacement if patches fail to establish, further adding to costs.

In contrast, meadows:

• May require some watering during the establishment period, but are far less intensive than lawns. This irrigation can be reduced or eliminated once roots are established. 
• Rarely need chemical inputs to control weeds. Weed control in meadows usually involves mechanical or spot treatment with herbicides.
• Finally, meadows typically only need three mowings in the first year to manage growth compared to weekly mowings for a lawn.

Ongoing Maintenance Costs

Once each has been established, meadows begin to shine in terms of maintenance comparisons:

• Mowing: A lawn will require weekly mowing during the growing season, compared to once a year for a meadow.
• Watering: A lawn needs regular irrigation, whereas a meadow is designed to thrive on natural rainfall and typically requires very little or no irrigation once established.
• Chemicals: To maintain its appearance, a lawn needs consistent fertilization (3-4 times per year) and ongoing pest and weed control. Native plant meadows generally don’t require these inputs, at least not in significant amounts, which substantially reduces cost in the long term.

Over time, meadows offer substantial cost savings, as they require fewer resources and less labor to maintain than traditional lawns, which require continuous upkeep.

Meadow vs Lawn: Ernst Seeds Has What You Need 

Regarding ecological impact, maintenance requirements, and overall cost, meadows are a superior choice for anyone interested in a beautiful and sustainable landscape. However, lawns are not without their purpose. In fact, you can combine grass areas with a native plant meadow to enhance aesthetic appeal.

If you’re interested in finding the right seed mix for your next native meadow, Ernst Seeds has everything you need. We’ve used our decades of experience to design a variety of seed mixes for both large and small projects. Whether you’re establishing a new meadow next to a highway or just want to beautify your front yard, our experts can provide guidance and input.

Questions our guide didn’t answer? Contact Ernst today, and we’ll be happy to help.