Is it time to trade in that grass for something a bit more earth-friendly? Many people think so and one of them is John Greenlee. An advocate of replacing traditional lawns with native grasses, Greenlee is the founder of Greenlee Nurseries in Chino, CA and a successful grower of ornamental grasses. He is also the author of The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants
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Greenlee is in favor of a "meadow revolution", replacing "thirsty, chemical-dependent, time-intensive traditional turf grasses with ornamental and self-sustaining native grasses". According to Greenlee, this is easier than ever to do since even mainstream nurseries are selling native grasses and groundcovers these days.
Not only is a native grass meadow beautiful to look at, it doesn’t use any chemicals and is low maintenance. It also saves water. Nearly half of the water used during the summer months goes toward watering the lawn. And of course, don’t forget about the added benefit of reducing air emissions, saving gas, and reducing noise pollution from power mowers.
A word of caution is necessary however. Some municipalities have ordinances that restrict homeowners from letting their "lawns"--and that includes wildflower meadows and un-mown lawns--grow too high or look too "wild". Pro-lawn neighbors might make a fuss as well, so it’s best to check with the municipality first if you’re planning on a large-scale conversion. You might also consider starting small and expanding each year.
Photo source: www.northcreeknurseries.com