[bigbluesax]

I do this and it looks pretty damn good, lots of different wildflowers and tall grasses, but I guess it's a matter of taste. I like the feel of having my own bit of nature close to me. I even saw a huge violet oil beetle walking along recently.

> Even a meadow look or something more natural will require time and energy to maintain. Probably more than cutting a lawn.

How do you think the meadows you come across get taken care of? For the most part the farmer just comes by 2-3 times per year to mow, it's not that deep. What the best meadows have going for them are years and years of the same mowing schedule which has allowed a huge variety of native plants to spread.