‘Their garden never fails to impress me’

A Redditor put their grandparents’ totally natural garden on display for the world to see.

The pictures were posted in a Reddit community dedicated to ending the reign of monoculture lawns and ushering in an era of biodiverse lawns.

“Just been to see the ol’ codgers and their garden never fails to impress me after all these years,” the Redditor wrote.

Natural garden

Photo Credit: u/Mardubouch / Reddit

Natural garden

Photo Credit: u/Mardubouch / Reddit

The four pictures show an array of diverse plants in a residential area, along with a very small plot of what appears to be traditional grass surrounded by many plants, like a little jungle behind someone’s home.

Although many people prefer traditional grass lawns for their homes, opting for a more wild landscape has more benefits than you may think.

Embracing a more natural lawn is gaining popularity in the U.S. Meanwhile, the conservation charity Plantlife is promoting

Read the rest

How to create a drought-tolerant yard and replace your water-hog lawn

Placeholder while article actions load

With numerous municipalities and states considering or enacting strict limits on residential grass, you may have considered ditching your home’s turf. Xeriscaping — or designing a landscape that needs little irrigation to survive — is no longer a radical idea, even if you don’t live in an area where lawns are being restricted. Traditional lawn grasses are thirsty. Because of shallow roots, they need anywhere from 20 to 60 percent more water than other plants in your yard to appear green and lush, says Haven Kiers, assistant professor of landscape architecture at the University of California at Davis. The shallower the roots, the faster the grass dries out and the more water it needs, which is not ideal when parts of the country are coping with drought.

At least 50 percent of the water in the Western United States is used for landscape irrigation, says

Read the rest

Everyday Cheapskate: 4 recipes for homemade DIY lawn and garden fertilizer

I love a beautiful yard, but I hate spending a lot of money to get it that way, which explains why I am always looking for do-it-yourself, cheap ways to kill weeds, grow flowers and feed lawns.

I have come across some very clever tips and tricks, not the least of which is to reclassify the dandelion as a low-maintenance, hearty ground cover. While you ponder that suggestion, take a look at these clever ideas to make your own landscape supplies.

LAWN FOOD

In a large bin or bucket, mix 4 pounds of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) with a bag of your favorite lawn food that covers 2,500 square feet. Now, feed your lawn the same amount of this mixture as recommended on the lawn food bag. You’ll save a lot of money because you’ll be using only half the normal amount of fertilizer. Plus, this formulation cuts down

Read the rest