Lawn-gevity: Prioritizing Native Plants in Your Landscape
A lawn crafted with native plants,
intentionally selected and placed, is forever.
It requires minimal maintenance, can naturally repel mosquitos and pests, and attracts those precious pollinators we all need. Once a lawn full of native species is established, it requires no mowing, no fertilizing, and no chemicals. Native plants in their proper habitats last a lifetime.
Ironically, most of us are accustomed to performing exhaustive interventions on our lawns. That’s primarily due to the non-native turf grasses and plants that aren’t supposed to be there.
Lawns are landscapes on life support. American lawncare is a $90 billion industry which focuses on keeping millions of man-made environments alive. Of course, all the weeding, feeding, and seeding takes more than a toll on our wallets; nursing non-native landscapes is slowly killing our ecosystems.
One deeply unfortunate truth is that we—homeowners and industry members alike—have been conditioned to think that this is acceptable. Going to garden centers to purchase non-native plants to replace the ones that perished is just part of a spring ritual for many homeowners. We have collectively altered what it means to be responsible stewards to the land.
However, habits can change. Ecological restoration companies like WildLawn (www.wildlawn.com) can replace turfgrass with native lawn alternatives, which balance and reinvigorate their environments.
“We get a huge influx of calls every summer from frustrated homeowners looking for someone to revive their crispy lawns.” says Mark Brownlee, Head Ecologist at WildLawn. “People find us because they’re aggravated by their properties’ appearance and maintenance, but they aren’t sure what options they have. When we go through the education process with our clients about the benefits of native plants, they’re completely hooked.”
That “education process” always highlights three key points:
Reimagine “Weeds”
Backyard restoration means making friends with the plants that belong there, and committing to the removal of plants that do not. Some native species that bring ecological value to the Tri-State area include:
Violets (e.g.: Viola sororia)
Sedges (e.g.: Carex rosea)
Snakeroot (e.g.: Ageratina altissima)
Blue wood aster (e.g.: Symphyotrichum cordifolium)
Fleabane (e.g.: Erigeron pulchellus)
Black locust trees (e.g.: Robinia pseudoacacia)
And many other “pioneer species,” which colonize damaged areas to hold soils in place (often after a fire or flood) while permanent natives become established.
Say “NO” to invasive species:
While most garden centers offer plants like Burning Bush or Celandine, that doesn’t mean you should buy them. These are highly invasive species that will quickly turn stream banks and forests into impenetrable thickets. Not only do plants like these reproduce at alarming speeds, but they can also create their own microclimates. The canopy under a stand of Burning Bush is artificially warm, shaded, and moist. Perfect for supporting more Burning bushes, and incubating pests like ticks.
Respect Location, Location, Location
Plants pick their locations, not the other way around. Even though we want Purple Coneflowers around the mailbox, doesn’t meant they will survive there. It’s important to know the conditions each plant requires (sun, soil, moisture) so you can make an informed decision about their placement. If planted correctly, those coneflowers will never require any intervention. That means they may have to go by the back door where it’s drier - but the mailbox might look lovely with some Joe Pye Weed or Beebalm that will produce pollinator-friendly blooms and pressure out weeds for years to come.
There are many resources for transforming your turf into a gorgeous, ecologically-responsible native landscape. For more information, reach out to www.wildlawn.com, at 844-326-7334 or contact@wildlawn.com.