A meadow is an open field covered with grass and wildflowers, usually found in the countryside where trees are sparse or absent. Picture a wide, sunny space where the grass grows tall and flowers like daisies, buttercups, and clover bloom in patches of color. Meadows often appear near forests or along streams, creating natural clearings where sunshine reaches the ground and helps plants thrive.

Farmers sometimes create meadows deliberately for grazing animals like cows, sheep, or horses, who feed on the rich grasses. Other meadows form naturally when conditions prevent trees from taking over, like in areas that flood regularly or where the soil suits grasses better than trees.

Meadows teem with life beyond just plants. Butterflies flutter between flowers, grasshoppers leap through the stems, and birds nest in the tall grass. Mice, rabbits, and other small animals make their homes there, while larger animals come to graze or hunt.

In stories and poems, meadows often represent peaceful, open places. In The Secret Garden, the children discover meadows filled with spring flowers. When someone talks about meadows and fields, they're usually describing gentle, pastoral countryside rather than dense forests or rugged mountains.