Plans for the weekend – lessen the lawn

It looks like we are going to have beautiful weather for getting outside and working in the yard today. And one of the main things on my garden to-do list is to remove some more lawn to make another garden area.

It’s a little bit of hard labor, but it’s still cool enough outside to make the work bearable. And the environmental benefits (plus having more garden area in the part of our yard that gets the most sun) will be well worth it.

Here are some of the eco-friendly benefits of reduced lawn area:

1. Reduced water consumption – turf generally requires more water than plants which are properly chosen for your site’s conditions.
2. Reduced storm water runoff -  shrubs, trees, and other leafy plants help absorb, intercept, and slow down rainfall, thereby reducing storm water runoff.
3. Reduced labor – less time spent on lawn maintenance.
4. Reduced need for chemicals – more homeowners use chemicals greening and feeding their lawns than on properly selected plant species.
5. Reduced  air and noise pollution caused by gas mowers, edgers, blowers, etc.
6. Enhanced biodiversity – replacing lawns with shrubs and flowers provide shelter and food sources for birds, butterflies and other local wildlife.