(the suburban lawn)
"...with respect to nature, it is authoritarian. Under the Toro's brutal indiscriminate rotor, the landscape is subdued, homogenized, dominated utterly. I became convinced that lawn care had about as much to do with gardening as floor waxing, or road paving. Gardening was a subtle process of give and take with the landscape, a search for some middle ground between culture and nature.
A lawn was nature under culture's boot."
Pollan, Michael. Second Nature: A Gardener's Education (p. 62).
According to a NASA-led study, turfgrass is the largest irrigated crop in America, more than corn, wheat, and fruit orchards combined! Lawns cover over 63,000 square miles of the US landscape, an area larger than Georgia.
Americans spend $36 billion annually for a "crop" with no yield!
Beyond its economics, a lawn is an unstable, barren, and often lethal habitat for local wildlife. Moreover, lawns are monocultures that require chemical interventions (fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides) to grow and mechanical interventions (mowing) to maintain.
Have you considered the investment in time, money, and resources required to maintain a well-manicured lawn?
For homeowners dissatisfied with their lawn's return on investment, or are interested in attracting wildlife to their property, replacing your sterile lawn with vibrant native landscapes, here are time-tested suggestions to reduce your lawn.
Local Birds "flock" to my yard to feast on chemical-free grubs!
Expand Your Existing Gardens
Expanding your ten-by-ten garden by one foot on each side reduces your lawn by forty square feet!
Add a "Ring" or "Island" Garden Around Trees
Use native plants in your design as they are accustomed to the habitat, and eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers, pesticides, or excess watering. Also, the soft ground in your "island" garden provides a habitat for native caterpillars that complete their metamorphosis into butterflies underground.
Ring Garden (Stock Photo)
Add a Pollinator Garden
Hummingbirds are attracted to red funnel-shaped flowers (Cardinal flower). Butterflies use natives as host plants to lay their eggs (milkweed) and as a nectar source.
Consider caterpillars on your pollinator plants as a success. Pesticides will eliminate the next generation of butterflies and poison a critical food source for native birds and their young.
Swallowtail on Anise Hyssop
Add a Rain Garden
Rain garden- Photo by EPA
A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that features water-loving native grasses and flowering perennials to capture, hold and absorb rainwater. Rain gardens are a cost-effective and beautiful way to reduce water runoff. Rain gardens also filter out pollutants in runoff and provide food and shelter for butterflies, songbirds, and other wildlife.
Cultivate a "Freedom Lawn"
A "freedom lawn" is an imperfect, low-maintenance, chemical-free landscape. In addition to turfgrass, freedom lawns feature dandelions, clovers, speedwells, violets, and other broadleaf "volunteers." that emerge in the absence of chemical weed killers. The biodiversity of a freedom lawn supports local wildlife. Early pollinators visit the violets and speedwell. Rabbits eating white clover have no interest in my gardens. Additionally, my property offers native birds a chemical-free buffet of worms, grubs, and insects.
I mow three times per month (skipping one week) to allow pollinator-friendly plants to flower. If you are hardcore, participate in the "no mow May" movement. I love this idea- if your neighbors don't mind!
Above: A house finch nibbling dandelion seeds.
Middle: A wild rabbit eating white clover
Bottom: A black Swallowtail feeding on a dandelion.
Replace Shady Lawn Areas with Native Ground Cover
Compared to turfgrass, groundcover requires minimal water and overcomes the need to use pesticides. Additionally, they can withstand plenty of footfall with minimum damage. Stick to native varieties to support pollinators. Here are three favorites: Wild Ginger, Wood Poppies, Ragwort
Wild Ginger, Wood Poppies, and Ragwort (Stock Photos)
Reduce Water Usage
According to research, you should use only one inch of water per week for your garden. However, it is common to exceed this limit. To reduce your water consumption, use these methods:
Rainwater Harvesting: This includes collecting all water runoff from your roof gutters for irrigation needs. You can buy simple rain barrels or install tanks in your backyard or underground.
Rain Barrel (Stock Photo)
Plant Sphagnum Moss: Planting long-fibered sphagnum moss will increase your soil's water absorption and retention properties. The moss helps lower your water consumption to stay within the quoted limit. Additionally, sphagnum moss will thrive in pots, flower beds, and your lawn.
Sphagnum Moss (Stock Photo)
Add Hardscaping Habitats
Birdbaths, rock walls, arbors, logs, and water features create an exciting design contrast to your lawn and gardens. Hardscaping also creates a habitat for native birds, insects, mammals, and reptiles.
Pictured top to bottom: A chipmunk, a blue jay, and a bluebird are foraging on a stacked stone wall.
For more complex additions to your landscape, contact a professional to optimize your eco-friendly changes:
● Plumber: Installing rainwater harvesting tanks is a complex process requiring choosing the right tank size, adding a reliable system of pipes, and regular maintenance. Hiring an experienced plumber will be the best decision for this project.
● Landscaper: Landscapers undertake all primary responsibilities for your garden, from adding plants, suggesting design changes, and ensuring your garden remains healthy year-round. Search online for "backyard landscapers near me" to find a professional who's received positive feedback from previous customers.
Investments in an eco-friendly property pay dividends for years to come for your home and the environment.
All photographs, unless otherwise noted, were taken on our one-acre property in eastern PA.
Photographs by SuperNaturalist.net
Joyce Wilson of teacherspark.org co-wrote this blog.
Commentaires