Bruce Bennett
For the last column of 2024, rather than dealing with yet another holiday-related aspect of gardening, let’s take a look at my most received question this year. It was some form of: What can I do with/for my lawn? For some people, it was a matter of too much sunshine and increasing summertime brown lawns; for others, it was the impossible task of growing grass in the shade. It seems that everyone would love to have a sea of verdant green, healthy grass surrounding their abodes. What most don’t seem to realize is that showcase lawns require, not only the correct environmental growing conditions and correct variety of grass seed, but they also need a major investment of time and money to keep them looking good.
Many homeowners in the Pacific Northwest are now rethinking the idea of perfectly the manicured English lawns in favor of other alternatives to traditional turf; options which tend to require less water, less fertilizer, and very little maintenance time. There are a number of different looks which may be appealing, but before the design and replanting, a homeowner needs to determine what activities will take place in the area. Remember that some spots where the kiddos play, the pets roam or other heavy foot traffic is present may really need the resilience of grass, despite its drawbacks. But, for less traveled areas and visually significant locations, other, eco-friendlier and more colorful, possibilities are available. Reimagine a vignette in part the yard with different low ground covers. Some of the alternatives to look at include:
White Clover (Trifolium repens) is losing its reputation as an invasive weed because it works nicely as an evergreen lawn that has little white flowers and supports the area’s pollinators. As you can purchase it in seed form, it is rather inexpensive. It establishes quickly, requires very little water, and no fertilizer. As it takes nitrogen from the air, clover is actually good for fertilizing and improving the soil. If bees are a problem for you, there are micro-clovers that have smaller leaves and no flowers. Most types of clover are hardy in the northwest.
Creeping ThymeCreeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is becoming a popular choice for very sunny lawns. Small white flowers and their sweet scent are added-value components in early summer. Once established, creeping thyme is very hardy. The caveat is that it requires well-drained soil and will not last long in full shade or soggy conditions. Look for Corsican, Wooley and Elfin varieties as well as the ever-popular Red Creeping (Thymus praecox shown at left).
Mosses are another group of plants with a bad reputation. These plants are a natural in the PNW, many times to the consternation of homeowners. At some of my lectures, I even teach audiences how to quickly age the look of their concrete-paver walls and planting containers by quickly growing mosses. Irish and Scotch mosses are probably the most commonly cultivated of the family for Northwest gardens. Both are dependable plants that have the ability to create horizontal color spots or full, lush carpets (check out this picture of the Moss Garden at Bainbridge Island’s Bloedel Reserve). Naturally, the Irish Moss (Chondrus crispa) is green, but the Scotch Moss (Sagina subulata) has a nice golden hue to it. Both are covered with tiny, star shaped blooms in spring. Moss thrives in shade or cool sunlight; full morning sun is fine, but, intense afternoon sun is not well tolerated even when kept well-watered.
Ornamental Strawberries (Fragaria sps.) and Alpine Strawberries (F. vesca seen at left) produce shiny leaves and small pink or white flowers followed by non-edible strawberries. These tough little spreading plants grow nearly anywhere, but it might not be the best choice for moist, shady areas. Ornamental strawberries, with their white or pink flowers, can be slightly invasive, but the runners are easy to pull. The Alpines, with their edible fruit, tend to spread here and there by errant seeds and birds.
Creeping Wire Vine (Muehlenbeckia axillaris) consists of wiry stems covered with tiny, round leaves that transition to bronze tones as warm weather approaches. Summer also brings attractive little fruits. This hardy little plant tolerates poor soil and drought as long as the soil is well-drained. Creeping Wire Vine may not be the best choice for large lawns in the Northwest, but it works well in small spaces, along borders or on slopes and hillsides.
In denser, grass-killing, shade under trees or the north side of a building, there are still plant other options that look great and provide visual stimulation during the wintertime. The easiest solution will be to forget about turf lawn. It will never look as you imagine. Instead, remove the remnants of the grass and add a couple of inches of bark mulch, arborist chips or gravel over the area. Then add some of the many shade-loving ground covers and small shrubs that can be planted in the ground or in colorful planted containers.
These are just a few of the low-growing lawn substitutes you could use to reinvigorate the look of your front yard. But, why stop there? If changes are going to be made, think about making some significant ones that can add excitement (and value) to the landscape. Consider adding small mounds to increase height in some areas of the yard. Add a combination of evergreen and deciduous shrubs and smaller trees that can add ever-changing visual winter interest and wildlife habitat. These actions can also help to obscure unsightly views or highlight areas which are always seen (such as the ho-hum walkway up to the front door). Yes, there are always costs involved with such projects. But, if you are willing to do the work yourself, more than half of the costs of a landscape project have already been saved. That’s sweat equity which can be seen from the very first day.
White clovers. Photos: Courtesy pixabay.comIf you want other ideas and suggestions for lawn replacement plants, take a look at these local organizations:
Great Plant Picks (www.greatplantpicks.org) is the main education program out of the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture’s Elizabeth Miller Library. Fantastic gardening resource!
NW Flower & Garden Festival (www.gardenshow.com) is a week-long event held each February and is the second largest garden show in the country. It has acres of display gardens, hundreds of plant, art and equipment vendors and the best seminar series of all gardening shows.
Master Gardeners of King County (https://extension.wsu.edu/king/gardening/) is the world’s first horticultural assistance program in the country. It is now in all states and in many other countries. Make use of their seasonal walk-up answer clinics, classes, Speakers Bureau and on-line information and assistance services.
This winter season is an excellent time to do your research, reading and design sketches for next spring’s garden tasks. Think about removing just one patch of grass and adding plants that will provide you, the pollinators and other wildlife around you with a wide variety of year-round benefits. Until next year, dear readers…… Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy Gardening!
Contributing columnist, Bruce Bennett, is a 20-year veteran of the WSU Master Gardener Program, a lecturer and garden designer. If you have questions concerning this article, have a gardening question or two to ask concerning your own garden or simply want to suggest a topic for a future column, contact Bruce at gardenguy4u@gmail.com.