Vacation property native meadow is it really high maintenance?

[ecoyardbuilder1022]

We recently got ourselves a cozy little vacation cabin that comes with a spacious, empty grassy lawn, and I've got this strong desire to turn most of it into a native plant meadow, complete with walking paths and some nice sitting areas. I'm comfortable with gardening, but I haven't tackled a project this big before, so I reached out to a local landscaper for some guidance.

She mentioned that it would involve a lot of weeding, frequent watering, and that it might end up looking pretty rough after the first season. That took me by surprise because I've always heard that once you get a native meadow going, it tends to settle in quite nicely.

Is her concern valid, or is it just an outdated mindset? I'm totally up for putting in the initial effort; I just don't want to jump into something that turns out to be too much to handle. Has anyone here ever done a no-lawn conversion or created a meadow at a second property? I'd love to hear about your experiences

 

[Hersheesh]

Valid for me, starting a native meadow does take a lot of weeding, watering and patience that 1st year, and it can look scruffy at first. But thats normal. Once it takes hold, it really does become a lot easier to manage and looks great. If you're okay with putting in the early work, its could be worth it. A lot of people have done no lawn conversions and love the end results.