Urban lawns are high maintenance, resource-intensive, ecologically-barren Superfund sites. We can do better when we learn from and mimic local prairie or meadow plant communities from our region. Whether you live in Pennsylvania or Georgia, Arizona or Oregon, there are prairies, grasslands, and savannas to study.
In this 28 minute video see some exciting examples and possibilities, explore the basic how-to from prep to design to management, and take the first step into a healthier future where we live, work, and play. Prairie up!
As always, you can find far more detail and instruction via the 15 extensive online courses available at https://monarchgard.com. Some of the most popular include:
Starting Your Native Plant Garden
Green Mulching With Sedge Plugs
Fundamentals of Garden Layers
Cultivars 101
Designing With Common Nursery Plants
Encounters With Weed Authorities
We host a vibrant online community / forum of native plant gardeners, offer long-distance Zoom design consultations, and provide keynote addresses for a variety of organizations. Benjamin Vogt is the author of A NEW GARDEN ETHIC: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future, and PRAIRIE UP: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design.
24 Comments
Great video! I'm in to my first year restoring my front lawn to native plants. I'm documenting the process and will share it probably after year 3. The first year was pretty rough/weedy ugly…but I'm so glad I pushed through because I think year 2 is going to be beautiful! And I was surprised at how supportive my neighbors were. People would literally stop and tell me it was "really coming along" and it was beautiful. Your video is definitely inspiring!
Nice👌👍
I just had my front yard completely done in natives, and working on my backyard. I’m hoping to influence the people in my development. @Benjamin Vogt, has anyone in your neighborhood changed their lawns over to native gardens? I believe most of your pictures are from your own home, and everyone around you still has nothing but lawn.
Our lawns are very European. It’s easy to see they don’t belong here. Grass is actually the weed. People sink lots of dollars on weeds. Too funny.
I have great success with my ‘pollinator patch’ in MI this year. I’m planning to expand it and am adding more natives to my landscape. I have almost no lawn in the front and get consistent compliments from passers by
This presentation is so good, thank you, Benjamin!
Thank you for the video. I am planning to slowly start converting my Wisconsin front yard to natives this summer. What lawn killer would you recommend for removal of the turf before planting?
Great video Benjamin! Do you know of any examples of prairie or low maintenance native plant landscapes in warm subtropical climates like Florida? How about coastal areas?
Also, how does planting trees fit into this theme? Are trees more for natural forested landscapes?
Fantastic video! Thanks for sharing it with us. I learned a lot.☺️
What a great video, one of the most helpful one I have watched recently!
Appreciate the video! One follow up: can you please expand on what “spray kill” means to you ( Round Up, vinegar, etc….) Thanks!
Question: I have a rural Nebraska lawn of about 25,000 sf. This season I decided to just let it grow (I have no interest in planting, designing or landscaping) and mow walking paths. My usual mowing time is 4+ hours and now it's just 45 minutes. Do I really need to mow it all down in the Spring or can I just let Mother Nature take care of it? If I do mow, I definitely will NOT be bagging it! Thanks! PS – My original lawn consisted of whatever the prairie blew in. PPS – What about burrowing critters? As long as they are not burrowing near the house (I have concrete and pavers around the house), I don't mind.
Hit the like for the joke alone 🤣
I’m so pumped! I have a somewhat large yard to convert . Still enough in the back to have a nice turf rectangle to play on. I’m all for less watering for sure and I love seeing nature do it’s thing. Great great video!
Will rodents be a concern for the dwelling?
Wildflower so beautiful, here Canada Ontario, in Ottawa i had to mown my front yard, I couldn’t keep wild, this is law!!!! Shame
Thanks, this is beautiful
Less why and more how.
I've learned more from your postings on native plants than any other.
Would I see an increase in mice or rats if I transform my lawn into native meadow?
Nice work brother tear up that turf! I read your book and it convinced me to put in a native pollinator plot! I made a video about it as well. Keep up the good work!
I am converting yard over to food and habitat for insects. I use no chemicals and create my own compost but I think a lot of your data is exaggerated and you lose people because it’s not believable. Just because somebody has a nice chart or diagram or paredo charts or even a published book doesn’t make it factual. I do like your message though and believe in the value of what you preach so don’t take it as a negative. Good video and lawns are a waste
“Make good trouble” thanks so much for this! I’ve had a lot of neighbor resistance (especially to our chosen method of spraying) which has been very discouraging. This was the boost I needed!! Off to go do a winter seeding and convert our MN backyard to prairie and pollinator habitat. (planning to add plugs in spring).