Thanks, that’s awesome! We’ve been cultivating clover in backyard for a couple years and it’s starting to take over like we wanted with lots of flowers for pollinators. I hadn’t really looked into native grasses before, but I’m trying to see if there are any good no-mow varieties that I could test in our backyard.
I might be able to get away with some native grasses in the front yard, but only if I incorporated them into some nice landscaping. There’s no way I could get away with planting an entire lawn of native no-mow, though.
Beyond just grasses, it is better to include native flowers too like some clovers that you mention. Maybe one of the reasons the video didn’t go too far into alternatives is because geography changes your options quite a bit. Some ecologist focused on genetic diversity will tell you that you shouldn’t be getting your plant stock from more than 10 miles from your location, and some “native” wild flower mixes sold nationally in the US have non-native (usually european) or even invasive plants (usually european thistles) mixed in.
You seem to realize that isn’t all or nothing. Converting a portion of your lawn every year might be a more manageable decision. If you take on a project like this it is a long haul. Don’t bite off more than you can chew or you’re likely to burn out. Plantings are usually pushed as zero maintenance, but more accurate would be to say that you are able to front load a bunch of effort that will pay off 5 years down the road.
Last, I spent a decade of my professional career designing and implementing wetland, prairie, and savanna restorations in the upper midwest and northwest regions of the US. Anyone who wants help looking at appropriate plants for their area and specific situation (eg focus on pollinator, edibles, low maintenance, or birds) can DM me. I am passionate about it, like to do the research, and am happy to help.
Thanks, that’s awesome! We’ve been cultivating clover in backyard for a couple years and it’s starting to take over like we wanted with lots of flowers for pollinators. I hadn’t really looked into native grasses before, but I’m trying to see if there are any good no-mow varieties that I could test in our backyard.
I might be able to get away with some native grasses in the front yard, but only if I incorporated them into some nice landscaping. There’s no way I could get away with planting an entire lawn of native no-mow, though.
Beyond just grasses, it is better to include native flowers too like some clovers that you mention. Maybe one of the reasons the video didn’t go too far into alternatives is because geography changes your options quite a bit. Some ecologist focused on genetic diversity will tell you that you shouldn’t be getting your plant stock from more than 10 miles from your location, and some “native” wild flower mixes sold nationally in the US have non-native (usually european) or even invasive plants (usually european thistles) mixed in.
You seem to realize that isn’t all or nothing. Converting a portion of your lawn every year might be a more manageable decision. If you take on a project like this it is a long haul. Don’t bite off more than you can chew or you’re likely to burn out. Plantings are usually pushed as zero maintenance, but more accurate would be to say that you are able to front load a bunch of effort that will pay off 5 years down the road.
Last, I spent a decade of my professional career designing and implementing wetland, prairie, and savanna restorations in the upper midwest and northwest regions of the US. Anyone who wants help looking at appropriate plants for their area and specific situation (eg focus on pollinator, edibles, low maintenance, or birds) can DM me. I am passionate about it, like to do the research, and am happy to help.