Goodbye Lawn, Hello Blooms and Birds and Free Time

“Look! Look! Look at THAT!”

“Ahhh! Sooo gorgeous…”

This sounds like an exchange you might have while on vacation visiting an exotic place with giant hibiscus in bloom, or hiking in a pristine wilderness where golden eagles soar.

But what if this experience of awe greeted you whenever you pulled into your driveway? What if you stepped out of your car, and all your worries receded as you breathed in the wonder of a queen bumblebee waking in February to visit your crocus? People talk about curb appeal, but I’m talking about an experience that connects deeper than mild appeal. I’m talking about wonder, the ability of nature to shake you out of your analytical mind and see with child’s eyes again.

Swathed in high maintenance lawns, our front yards get more use from the mowing service than from awe-inspiring wildlife. Coming home to your lawn elicits no pause, other than a nagging reminder to call your irrigation guy about that broken sprinkler head. You know your lawn sucks water and fertilizer, not to mention the gas to mow it. But, what’s the alternative? Leaving it dry and brown in the summer? An even higher maintenance formal planting scheme? A barren sea of mulch? An over grown eyesore?

Consider a designed meadow as a front lawn alternative. Evocative of breezy days in the country, but with a strong composition relating to the built environment, this is a smart option. You could enjoy blooms, birds and never-seen-before garden visitors in your front yard with a rich mix of flowering and grassy plants. Keeping overall plant heights low means a meadow can be as welcoming and open as a lawn. But, instead of endless mowing, maintenance is limited to brief seasonal monitoring and an annual winter trim.

Sound too good to be true? The secret is in the planning! When you have a plant nerd (that’s me!) in your pocket, you’ll get the best mix of plants for your site, plants that thrive with each other, knitting together to make a weed suppressing whole. We can talk botanical Latin all day if you want, or you can trust me as the master of that unspoken language and the mysteries it holds.  Knowing the names, cultures and habitats of plants is my expertise. What’s better than google? An experienced local professional who you have a relationship with. Every time. There’s no need to wing this thing. Let’s get together and I’ll build your plant pallet. Then we can confidently get out the sod cutter, layer on plants with great structure, some that shout “Spring is here!”, and some that cover the ground like great green workhorses. A year later, you’ll smile knowingly as your neighbors gawk at the goldfinches flocking to your gayfeather seed heads. That’s right, it is awe-inspiring. And, it’s your front yard!

Whether for the pure pleasure of bringing more ease and beauty to your life, or for the ethically motivated call to reduce your impact and create habitat, designed meadows are a brilliant choice. And they are our specialty! From shady woodland meadows to sun-drenched, deer territory, we can make a meadow for you. Your front lawn’s new dress is going to be floral print and fabulous! Give us a call today to learn what a designed meadow could look like for you. 541-689-6545

Here’s some examples of our work.