I was never a big fan of mowing so reducing the size of the lawn by making the gardens bigger was a no-brainer. Any landscape trees and shrubs that die I replace now with natives that produce fruits for birds and other animals (Paw Paw and Blueberry were my latest additions). I also try to use native, low water use flowering plants like Black-eyed Susans in the garden.
My daughter and I planted a butterfly garden this summer using native plants that attract caterpillars and butterflies. We’ve had fun with this project; watching the stages of their life from egg, larvae, chrysalis to butterfly. We’ve also worked on improving the wildlife habitat in our yard by thinking about the four wildlife needs (food, water, cover, and nesting areas). Above all else - we don’t use chemicals anymore. The quest for the perfect American lawn comes with a price (to the wallet and to the environment). And as I’ve come to find out - lawns are boring.
This post was submitted by Dave DeVault.
No Comments »
No comments yet.
Leave a comment