Meadow rejuvenation

Hello there perennial friends:  I am fortunate to havea meadow which my 
husband and I created in the corner of our 1 acre lot.  It is about 200 
feet across and triangle-shaped with a maximum depth of 50 feet.  There 
is a path running through it made with cedar chips.  There was no 
attempt to create an authentic prairie, just a pretty meadow..

We put in the meadow in two stages.  Initially(1984) we planted forbs 
and seeds over most of the area and then added a 5 foot strip in the 
front about 10 years later.

We mow it to the ground every year (alternating late fall and early 
spring) and about every 5 years we burin it.I also add a few different 
plants each year , usually in a cluster because it is difficult to 
water. It is very beautiful, BUT.....

Increasingly, the coneflowers are taking over.They are considerably more 
than 50% today and pale purple monarda  is most of the rest.  There are 
daisies and veronicastrum and some grasses and brown eyed susan and 
asclepias tuberosa,  but not much else.  This year I added 6 Filipendula 
and they are not as tall as I expect they will be, but did fine at about 
4 feet

MY QUESTION:  WHAT CAN I DO TO ENCOURAGE MORE VARIETY.?  I GUESS I WILL 
HAVE TO DIG UP  SOME OF THE CONE FLOWERS AND MONARDA AND GIVE THEM AWAY. 
 BUT WHAT SHOULD I PUT IN THEIR PLACE?  AND WHEN SHOULD I REMOVE THEM 
AND HOW SHOULD I "REFRESH " THE MEADOW EVERY YEAR.  BURN OR NOT BURN? 
MOW IN FALL BEFORE SEEDS DISPERSE OR IN SPRING?

AND FINALLY, CAN ANY OF YOU RECOMMEND A GOOD BOOK WHICH DEALS WITH THESE 
ISSUES.  

I KNOW I'M ASKING A LOT, BUT ANY HELP ANY OF YOU KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE 
CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

Thank you,

Nancy deGrazia
Long Grove, IL (5A)

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