The american lawn

It's 2020. Climate change is real. Just this month, a new study published out of the University of Ottawa found that bumblebee "populations were disappearing in areas where the temperatures had gotten hotter and if the decline continues at the same pace, many of these species could vanish forever within a few decades", adding that this is "consistent with a mass extinction". Are you alarmed? Just in case your answer to that was "no", here's some even more troubling statistics. Dr Chuanhui Gu of Appalachian State University found that a hectare of lawn (those perfectly manicured patches of grass that surround our homes and parks) produces around 2,443kg of carbon dioxide a year. That's around 250kg of carbon dioxide for your average American yard. Think about it. We mow. We fertilize. We water. Lawns are a significant source of the greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. And each year I see my neighbors making their lawns larger and larger. What if I told you that there was an alternative? A way where you could stop mowing, stop fertilizing, stop watering. Too good to be true? No! The answer is shockingly simple (and probably obvious, if you know what site you're on) -- our native plants of North America. Did you know that 83% of all land in the United States is privately owned? We, the people, wield a lot of power with our land. We can decide whether our properties contribute to or combat climate change. Small changes by a large number of people can lead to actual, systemic change. A tipping point. So now that we've sufficiently stoked your hero complex, let's look at three options for lawn alternatives:

Carex Pensylvanica

Tolerant of heavy shade, native to the east coast, thrives in zone 3 to 8, and...wait for it... ... it looks just like your previous lawn but requires little to no maintenance! You only need to mow this once a year and that's IF you want to keep it at "preconceived" lawn height.

Fragaria Virginiana

Edible and gorgeous? Look to Virginia Strawberry. It's a veritable buffet for local pollinators and excels in full sun. This semi-evergreen, mat forming perennial will come back year after year and will even provide some extra pizzazz for your summer margaritas.

Tiarella Cordifolia var. cordifolia and Phlox Combo

Up until now, we've mentioned things that can pass for grass / the standard american lawn. What if you want to live outside the box? The ultimate combo of Tiarella Cordifolia var. cordifolia and Woodland Phlox! This is a gorgeous combo for a shaded spot. Don't forget, you can also plant some native trees and shrubs to eat into that lawn space. Get excited. Think big. Have fun!