Change is coming

This is the view you all got to enjoy last year in the gardens. This huge expanse of lawn has been dwindling ever so slowly over the past 22 years! It started with the area down by the street. We put in the Burning Bush/Privet hedge, then planted Rugosa Roses and Creeping Juniper. As the Juniper got overrun by native plants and ivies, Sheila and Jimmie transplanted it to their gardens, where it was enjoyed all winter long by their resident deer!! How nice to have provided a winter feast for the taking - or should I say, eating!!

Obviously we are still working on their deer problem!!

I took over more lawn for the front perennial beds and the berry patch, then added the nursery bed, Lily bed, Strawberries and Yucca and on and on.

Then last year after going through the process of becoming a Certified Natural Habitat I learned how much a lawn can add to the problems of our environment. The gas used for mowing, the gas emissions added to the environment, not to mention the energy expended doing the mowing and the chemicals required to maintain a pristine lawn.

All added up to me rethinking the whole thing. Add to that having no available garden space to grow many veggies. Then comes that wonderful book, "Gaia's Gardens". That was all I needed to figure out that I already had the perfect place for my veggies. Where do I get the most sun? Right out front.

So I started changing it more last fall. I moved Blueberries out from the back and the woods, established guilds for my Apple and Pear trees, and decided to get rid of most of the front lawn.

So this photo is all that remains of what used to be a large expanse of lawn!!

An alternative to lawn

This is a photo from the fall when we starting working on a new patio area in the back yard. JD made use of his time off to get scrap granite for us and started building this patio. For now we just put it on top of the lawn on the area where we want to clear out the grass. We will decide how to proceed in the spring. It is a pretty flat area, so it was a simple process. JD had Ryan's help in deciding on the design.




I just love the patchwork effect it has, most especially when it is wet. Then the patterns show through. When you use granite, you have to put it on the wrong side, as the finished side would be too slippery to walk on!! But when it rains, the colors who through beautifully!!



I am very happy with the decision to reduce our lawn. It will save on water, gas for the lawn mower and reduce the amount of chemicals used around here. One thing I have never been able to get my hubby to do was to change his method of keeping the lawn green!! Now where we do have lawn, it will be green from the native species going up through it!! And most of it won't need to be mowed as there will be low growing perennials instead of lawn. I am planning to introduce Dutch Whit clover as well this spring as it is shorter than the clover than I do have in some areas. I also have lots of Violets, Thyme, Myrtle, Pachysandra, Ajuga and lots more great ground cover already growing all over!!