I don’t want this much ornamental grass, what do I do? Let nature take over a patch of it? Hire a landscape designer for a minimum of 10k? Please send help.
More info: I’ve stopped using -icides and I have a robot mower at 3.5”.
I have let a patch grow wild and added a couple apple trees and wildflowers. The city code enforcers want to mow it and fine me, but I don’t plan on letting them.
I’m kinda against fences because they feel pretty anti-social and I’m already only allowed to see people if I use a car. Then again, fences seem like the only way to combat these crazy deer.
I don’t want to design it myself because I want to believe that professional landscape designers do more than just plop stuff around on a whim.
1·10 months ago- stop using weedkiller and insecticide – save a little money and save your own health
- add in inoculated clover seeds – “inoculated” adds in bacteria that makes the nitrogen more available to other plants – pick a clover that is relatively native to your area – up until WWII and the proliferation of modern weedkillers, healthy lawns were a mix of grass and clover
- leave the dandelions alone – ALL parts of a dandelion are edible – the leaves are a classic bitter green (goes really well with a dressing made from walnut oil, mustard, and balsamic vinegar) – roasted roots used to be a coffee substitute – early buds can be pickled as an alternative to capers – and yes, dandelion wine is actually a thing
- throw in lots of native flowers – attracts the pollinators that keep the rest of your garden going strong
- if you must mow, don’t mow shorter than 6 in / 15 cm – encourages stronger, more robust growth
- take up scything instead of mowing for personal exercise