
Deer grass
Muhlenbergia rigens
Muhlenbergia rigens

Berkeley sedge
Carex tumulicola
Carex tumulicola

Western meadow sedge
Carex praegracilis
Carex praegracilis

Berkeley sedge
Carex tumulicola
Carex tumulicola

Showy penstemon
Penstemon spectabilis
Penstemon spectabilis

Berkeley sedge
Carex tumulicola
Carex tumulicola

Small cape rush
Chondropetalum tectorum
Chondropetalum tectorum

Canyon Prince Wild rye
Leymus condensatus 'Canyon Prince'
Leymus condensatus 'Canyon Prince'

Deer grass
Muhlenbergia rigens
Muhlenbergia rigens
Description
It features a mix of larger and smaller ornamental grasses and grass-like plants to provide a sense of structure and adds in some simple flowering accents for beauty and diversity. People wanting something not much more complicated than a traditional lawn, but also desiring an informal feel and more visual interest may be interested in the Meadow Garden.
These plants require relatively low amounts of water, but can also tolerate higher amounts, making the Meadow Garden great for new designs, around existing medium and even high water use trees, and in "transition zones" between lawns and low water use landscapes.
People with larger yards may choose to feature a Meadow Garden in part of their yard, often with an area featuring a planting of Western Meadow Sedge as a place to take shoes off and enjoy the feeling of feet in the grass, in combination with one of the other plant palettes for other areas of the yard.
Note: highly botanically diverse meadow gardens can become very complex to maintain. For our Meadow Garden design and plant list, we chose a simple list of tough and easy to maintain plantings, achieving the essence of a naturalistic meadow garden look, while keeping care very simple.
This plant palette is available as an option for the Waterwise Community Center's Landscape Design Assistance Program. Visit cbwcd.org/desgin for more details.
Plant List

Berkeley sedge
Botanical Name: Carex tumulicolaPlant Type: Grass, Sedge
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 1 ft. - 1.5 ft. Width: 1.5 ft. - 3 ft.

Canyon Prince Wild rye
Botanical Name: Leymus condensatus 'Canyon Prince'Plant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 ft. - 5 ft. Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft.

Deer grass
Botanical Name: Muhlenbergia rigensPlant Type: Grass, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 2 ft. - 4' (to 5' with flowers) Width: 4 ft. - 5 ft. (to 6 ft. with flowers)

Western meadow sedge
Botanical Name: Carex praegracilisPlant Type: Ground cover, Grass, Sedge, Native
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Morning sun, Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 12 in. - 15 in. Width: 12 in. - 15 in.
Perennials

Common yarrow + cvs
Botanical Name: Achillea millefoliumPlant Type: Ground cover, Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 18 in. - 30 in. Width: 18 in. - 24 in. then slowly spreading

Showy penstemon
Botanical Name: Penstemon spectabilisPlant Type: Perennial, Native
Water Needs: Low 1
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 1.5 ft. (3 ft. while flowering) - 2 ft. (5 ft. while flowering) Width: 2 ft. - 4 ft.

Silver carpet aster
Botanical Name: Lessingia filaginifolia 'Silver Carpet'Plant Type: Ground cover, Perennial
Water Needs: Low 2
Exposure: All day sun
Height: 4 in. Width: 2 ft. - 3 ft.

Small cape rush
Botanical Name: Chondropetalum tectorumPlant Type: Perennial, Rush
Water Needs: Moderate 4
Exposure: Moderate shade, All day sun
Height: 3 ft. - 4 ft. Width: 5 ft. - 6 ft.
Horticultural Preferences
The plants in this palette are easy to care for and generally do not require any cutting back more than once or twice per year to keep looking great in the garden, but it is important to do that at the right time of year for each plant. This is especially important for the larger grasses, which, if they are being cut back, must be done so right before their main growth season, which is different depending on the species of plant. Refer to the “maintenance” entry for each individual plant.
Some of the smaller plants in the palette, including Western Meadow Sedge and Common Yarrow spread from their roots. In a meadow planting, this is usually a good thing, because they will gradually fill in open spaces, providing the lush meadowy look, and occupying space to help prevent weeds from coming up. However, if you want to make sure these plants do not eventually spready beyond a certain boundary, you may choose to install some sort of root barrier to help keep them “in bounds.”
Note that while backyard meadows like this, once well established, are usually perfectly happy with light foot traffic and an occasional backyard campout, event, etc., they do not stand up to regular sports practice. For daily heavy use, traditional turf types are typically more durable.
Aesthetic Character
The contrasts of leaf color and plant form of the different grasses, grass-like plants, and accents provide a subtle but visually elegant look. This garden “comes alive” in the wind as the grasses gently sway. Accents provide pops of color. For more color, combine the Meadow Garden with plantings beyond the perimeter of the meadow (and on a separate irrigation schedule) from the Butterfly and Songbird Garden, Pollinator Garden, or California Native Color Garden if the area is sunny, or the Woodland Garden if the area is shady.
Moisture Needs
In most situations, recently installed plantings in their first year will want a deep watering of approximately one inch per week during dry weather, until they begin to become established, usually approximately one year after planting. Then, begin to increase the time between watering events, keeping an eye on how the plants are doing, until you reach your “established” irrigation schedule.
Sometimes mass plantings of the smaller plants in this palette will feature many plants installed at a relatively close spacing. Depending on the space and the design, this may apply to western meadow sedge, common yarrow, or Berkeley sedge. In these situations, both for efficiency of installation and cost savings, you may try to source these plants at a very small size, either 4” pots or trays of smaller plants called “plugs.” If you plant from these small sizes, depending on the weather and your soils, you will likely have to water these areas more than once-per-week, until the plants have grown in a bit. In fast draining soils and warm weather, small plug plantings may have to be watered every day (or even more than once per day in a heat wave) until they have rooted in some. However, the huge cost savings involved often makes this extra care and initial extra watering need well worth it, and plants usually begin growing and get past this stage relatively quickly.
The chart shown below provides a baseline guide to the monthly irrigation schedule and volume of supplemental water needed to maintain healthy growth. Several winter months noted by an asterisk (*) indicate when rains can provide sufficient moisture and irrigation is not needed. It is important to note that these plants can successfully grow within a range of supplemental moisture each month; the actual irrigation schedule should be adjusted to reflect specific soil, slope and exposure conditions to achieve best plant performance.
Irrigation Schedule and Graph
Low Water Use Plants
Irrigation Schedule 2
Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* | |
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Runs per Month | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 1x to 2x | 0x to 2x | 0x to 2x |
Inches per Run | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" | 1" |
Inches per Month | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 1" to 2" | 0" to 2" | 0" to 2" |
Range of supplemental summer water: 7"-14"
Range of supplemental winter water: 0"-10"
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
1"-2" |
0"-2" |
0"-2" |
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Jan* | Feb* | Mar* | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov* | Dec* |
For more information on how to use this Irrigation Schedule and Graph, follow this link.
For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.
For information how to calculate your irrigation system’s schedule and precipitation rate, please follow this link.