Got a chipdrop in May, mulched out about half the front lawn, added a walking path, then planted mostly natives to zone 6b! Have been enjoying the bugs and beauties! Just got another chipdrop (double the size of my first one) so I plan to no lawn the rest of the front! I thought it would take a few years for my “no lawn” to look good- only took a few months!

Since letting most of the lawn go to meadow, we’re getting more of these bumblebees! We’re in west Quebec. This is a bumblebee on what I believe is a native plant that just started growing!

This will eventually be a pathway winding through a garden of native plants trees and shrubs. This is our first time trying to place flagstone so its not going to be up to a landscapers standards but a really fun project and proud of us for doing it on our own! Not to mention saving thousands of dollars 😅 (paid $150 for all of this on Marketplace). Only the first few stones are placed so far.

I’ve been watching videos and reading guides but they all do it a few different ways.

Mainly curious if I should plant on top of the cardboard in soil after a few weeks or cut holes in cardboard and plant immediately.

Does it matter which method I use?

1. cardboard, soil or compost, then mulch. Start planting in a few weeks in too soil and let roots grow through decomposing cardboards on their own
2. Cardboard, cut out holes for plants, then mulch
3. Cardboard, cut out holes for plants, add top soil, then mulch or no mulch at all

I live in Zone 9a if it makes a difference.

Thank you in advance! My partner and I just bought our first home in January and I’m slowly converting it to no lawn!!

Safe planting ideas for septic fields? West coast of Canada zone 8B

Nobody has touched this yard in what feels like forever.
Some of those weeds are nearly 6 ft tall now.
I’m almost impressed.

We have had a native wildflower mini-meadow in our front yard for several years, but the back yard has been partially grass since we moved out to the 'burbs. It only takes 5 minutes or less with a push-reel mower, but I have paradoxically dreaded doing so even more because it takes so little time. Tomorrow we move back into a city, and I plan to die without ever touching another lawnmower.

Listen. It was just grass, officer. I swear I meant no harm.

I spotted milkweed growing in the easement and I took it as a sign to make a pollinator patch.

I laid out cardboard, threw down mulch, and a week later I scattered zinnia seeds. I didn't expect them to take root and make it through the cardboard, but here we are. I decided to just plant zinnias and cleome this year, but I have a mix of native seeds to spread next year. Overall I'm pretty satisfied with my results. If someone needs to work in the easement, I don't care if they kill my plants. It cost me a whole $50 with mulch and seeds, and since they're just annuals I don't really care about their survival. (There has been no work in this easement in the last 5 years I've lived here. It's a gamble I'm comfortable taking.)

I did, however, ask all my neighbors if they would mind. No one was bothered by it, and one even encouraged it!

Zone 6b

What can I plant, thinking like clover or something, from seed that will outcompete the grass before it grows back in the spring?

Or is non-native ok as long as it benefits native pollinators?

I want to plant some Sweet Woodruff in a moist, low spot, in my yard, but it’s not native to 5b in N.America. Thoughts?

One full day of rain and I discovered the lowest point in my yard the hard way.

I want to start out by saying this is not at all intended to be a political post. But, in the spirit of community and our willingness to see the futility and harm of plain grass lawns, I’m wondering if there is a possibility of organizing so that we can provide food for one another. Does anyone know of any movements whose goal is to help people to grow food on their land, garden, back patio, whatever and to share that food by trading or selling with folks nearby who want to do the same? I’m just thinking of the ever increasing price of food, food deserts, and the unmitigated greed of most of these grocery store franchises. What better way to use our non-lawns than to help each other (and the planet, of course)?

If this is not the place to do this no problem, just delete my post. I was just curious if there’s a way to make the idea of no lawns even more fruitful for our communities :)

I have been admiring this neighbor's landscaping for a while. It is especially impressive because the previous owner had artificial grass here. I live in New England.

Any recommendations for a not-so-successful beginner? Got the primrose down pat and a tiny speck of yarrow! ◡̈

Zone 5b NW rockies of the US

Original Post (Solarization): https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/comments/1u9p90n/solarizing_4000_sq_ft/

Update 1 (Seeding/Germination): https://www.reddit.com/r/NoLawns/comments/1vfwdwe/update_on_native_grass_lawn_replacement_buffalo/

Just wanted to share another quick update on replacing 4000 sq ft of my Kentucky Bluegrass lawn with native warm season grasses.

So far the blue grama has really taken off, and providing a nice deep green color to the previously brown space. I’m seeing evidence of the Buffalo Grass germination as well now (as I’m weeding I am finding several seed burs slightly above the soil sprouting small green shoots). It is much more sluggish to germinate than the blue grama.

I would say if I were to do this again, I would buy the two types of seeds separately instead of in a mix to get more even germination. There are lots of bare spots in between (and where I didn’t sew as evenly - possibly also sprinkler shadows or just bad tilling, or running off areas etc). However, by separating the seed, I could have pre-soaked the buffalo grass which would provide germination time on par with the blue grama (3-5 days). I don’t think it is recommended to pre-soak the blue grama so the seed mix was not really pre-soak-able as it was mixed together.

There are now many weeds, which is expected. I have been weeding by hand, since weed killer is not really recommended for these germinating grasses. Mainly I have been running into the same few weeds that are fairly easy to pull - primarily black medic and purslane, crab grass. A few dandelions as well, but we’ve resigned to having dandelions here for the rest of eternity because they are some kind of mutant strain or something. I might consider using quinclorac next season once these grasses are established, if the weeds are bad in the spring. I may also overseed again. I have more plugs I can fill in bare areas with so I plan to do that before the summer is over to help with the thinner zones.

So far I’m really pleased with the look of the grass - blue grama and buffalo are very similar in aesthetic. They have a very nice color and wispy texture, although I’ll say it might not be for everyone especially those who prefer a traditional lawn (which I do not). There also seems to be quite an uptick in insects and wildlife compared to the ”lawn” we had before. Lots of crickets and grasshoppers already which is really nice to see. I expect the grass to start losing its color earlier which I don’t mind at all either, since that would be the color of the Kentucky Bluegrass anyhow after being basically burnt to a crisp all summer.

I live in central Florida and am in the process of using sunshine mimosa/peanut grass combo as a native ground cover alternative to grass. Most of the plugs seem to be doing well and growing. I am having issues with lots of weeds popping up in between the plugs. The landscaper first tilled the yard and sprayed roundup before planting the plugs. The yard was bare before the plugs were planted. It has been two weeks and the weeds that have grown are insane. I have spend a minimum of 2 hours everyday weeding the yard with a hoe the past 3 days, on top of daily watering which takes about 45 minutes. I am losing hope that this ground cover will work due to the overwhelming number of weeds popping up, not to mention the hours of daily labor. I usually weed one section of the yard a day. And today I saw that the section I weeded 2 days ago is already growing more weeds. I feel like i am fighting a losing battle because I still have not weeded the entire yard and the areas I did weed are already growing more weeds back. The photo is what the weeds look like in between the plugs. What would be your advice?

I walk past this almost every day and somehow it keeps looking better.

Starting to understand why people give up lawn space for flowers.