Lawns are a waste of good water. Three years ago I sheet mulched and wood chipped my front yard and planted with native plants and grasses. I am now collecting lavender, yarrow, plantain, mullein, red-stem fillaree and Rabbit Tobacco for medicine, Concord grapes next to house, and also have a nice variety of plants -- usually only discernable to me that are some just establishing this year-- such as echinacea, elderberry, Munro's Globeflower, Firecracker Penstemen, a variety of potentilla, Lychnis, uva ursi, arrowleaf balsam root, Blue flax, Meriwether's Blanket Flower, dandelion, wild sunflower. Soon I will transplant Arnica Montana started from seed and incubating in the greenhouse. The grasses are primarily Idaho Fescue and Prairie JuneGrass. Each year I do pull out the lawn/grass that comes up. I have had to eradicate a couple REALLY noxious ones like Ragweed and Buffalobur Nightshade. I planted the Mexican Olive trees and Siberian Pea for a visual break and they are coming in slowly. The bright yellow in current photo is Genista Lydia and there is also lo-gro Sumac, wild roses, barberry and flowering Quince. Neighborhood has become slowly accepting of this new visual for an urban landscape! I've lived here 5 years and each year brings something new including wild creatures utilizing my yard for habitat.
