Did you know that home lawns can be easy to manage, natural and sustainable – all at the same time? Grass is not the only way to go these days, and if the standard lawn is not for you anymore, Mother Nature offers plenty of vibrant alternatives that are both beautiful and play a critical role in our ecosystem. There are great ways to make your home stand apart in the neighborhood year-round while supporting sustainable plant life in your own yard. Here are just a few options to beautify your outdoor space:
1. Wildflower Meadow – These bright areas can be added to your lawn in small patches or the entire space, depending on your taste. To add organization to the lawn, construct rock or paving stones in pleasing patterns around the wildflower spaces. Another method for structuring the “wild” in your wildflowers is to plant according to height. Low growing flowering grasses called “bee turf” are great for providing early food for local pollinators and can add some tamer borders to taller varieties like Black-eyed Susans, aster and purple coneflower. Go for a nice mix of blue, yellow and purple to attract butterflies!
2. Rock Garden – Do you have a rough spot in your lawn that is just a pain to mow? Maybe you have high bedrock or sandy areas? A rock garden might be just the right fit for you. Rock gardens add a touch of class in areas where grass might not love it, but succulents and cacti can dig right in. Natural stones added to your rough areas make a great foundation for plants like these to get plenty of root space and drainage. Sand, native grasses, decorative gravel and glass ornaments can really make these areas glow. Rock gardens can give your lawn the appearance of texture and variety, plus cut down on your water bill.
3. Edible Lawn – Consider devoting more of your lawn space to productive vegetation. Of course, we say productive in the sense of what you want out of the vegetation. Think about what you might want from that space other than just the appearance. Do you want more space for vegetables? Do you want more space for indigenous plants to be able to take hold? Cover crops, low-mow grass options and medicinal herb patches are becoming more accepted as mainstream landscaping; plus these are good options for the environment.
Remember, your lawn is your space. Make it a space that you enjoy, while still giving back to the environment that gives us so much. And whether you are going with a traditional or more innovative style of lawncare, you want to start with excellent, organic and chemical-free soil, and Worm Power can help you achieve it. Visit our website to learn more about our 100% natural and sustainable process.