TIL the difference between a native prairie garden and a manicured lawn after visiting the Chicago Botanic Garden yesterday

I've always thought a neat, green lawn was the way to go. But I went to the Chicago Botanic Garden yesterday and spent time in their prairie restoration section. It was full of tall grasses and wildflowers, and the guide pointed out how much more wildlife it supports. I saw three types of butterflies and a bunch of bees in just 10 minutes. My front lawn has never had that. Now I'm thinking of tearing up a section of my yard and planting a mini prairie patch. Has anyone here done a conversion like that in a small suburban lot?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_viola3d ago

Honestly, you gotta just go for it and rip out a patch of that grass. Tbh, I swapped a small corner of my yard two years ago and haven't looked back. The bees and birds show up within weeks, like magic. Ngl, it looks a little wild at first, but it's so much better than boring turf. Plus, you never have to water or fertilize it once it's established. Just mow it down once a year in early spring and call it done.

patricia322d ago

Right, 'cause who needs a lawn when you can have a buffet for the local wildlife? My patch of milkweed attracts so many monarchs it looks like I'm running a butterfly bed and breakfast. Had one neighbor ask if I'd lost my mind, but he's the one out there every Saturday wrestling with his Bermuda grass in July.

patricia322d ago

What zone are you in? I'm in 6b and did something similar with a patch of wild bergamot and purple coneflower. Took maybe one season for the soil to settle, but now I've got goldfinches going at the seed heads like crazy. I just leave the dead stems up over winter for the bugs and cut everything back in early March. The only real work is pulling out the aggressive weeds that try to take over in year one, but after that it basically runs itself. Way less trouble than my stupid lawn ever was.