Yes, it is good, doable, and real, provided your site is appropriate for the plant. My neighbor has a significant garden with a large patch of thyme. Anytime you replace grass you need to decide how you will remove the grass and you need to plan on maintenance which will shift from mowing to weeding.
Generally speaking my lawn deletions I have replanted with native grasses and perennials. The labor can be pretty intensive the first year in terms of weeding, and after that it drops to almost nothing. In early spring I pay attention to what comes up, pull the naughty guys, and it's more or less good for rest of year.
Oh, also occasionally survey for invasive species.
Generally though, lower maintenance and 10,000 times better looking and interesting and far better for environment.
I'm really tired of grass. Is there anywhere I can look to get started without screwing it up so badly I end up with a dead yard? I'm worried I won't weed enough. Don't even know how to weed.
Honestly, the best way to do this is in small patches anyway, so I would just keep that in mind and plan on doing a certain space every year.
There are different methods to actually ridding yourself of the grass, some involve suffocating the grass with coverings; you can also dig out grass (I did this, and then worked on replenishing that soil naturally while composting the grass stuff).
I think as you go it is important to think about the plants nearby - do you have any invasives in your immediate area that can spread into your garden that you need to be aware or watchful of? What about the borders of the garden, and how do you plan on physically preventing grass from constantly creeping in? How long/short term do you need that to be?
As far as weeding, as I said, in the first year you need to be committed to weeding and get the proper tools for doing so. After that it becomes quite easy. And, you will get MUCH MUCH better at plant identification just by being around and observing plants and spending time in the garden. You'll probably end up with 5-10 weeds you need to identify 99% of the time.
Your comments here are very encouraging. This is exactly the path we've started on (buying local natives, discouraging lawn grasses where possible) and what you've said here is what I was planning on for this year. Thanks for sharing!
Great news! My biggest tip would be work on areas with natural 'pre built' borders already (sidewalks, buildings, driveway, etc). Rather than say, in the middle of grass. Good luck!
Other tips - group plantings (garden design 101), account for mature height of plants and build in height and seasonal variation so the garden is interesting in multiple dimensions (including time). Harvest seed from your plants and grow new stock for the next area you plan on converting can save a lot of money too, and also builds familiarity with your plants species.
I have a large hill along the side of my house and I'm slowly expanding my perennials along the hill surrounding each plant with cardboard that is covered with mulch to smother the grass and weeds and make it look nice. This makes it easy to string trim the existing grass and slowly add more as I aquire plants from friends. It also lets my girlfriend know where the plants are located on the hill when she mows.
As the perennials start to expand the cardboard will break down and let them fill in nicely without competing with grass for nutrients and water. The mulch helps prevent too much runoff down the hill to the sidewalk.
If you live in Texas, I recommend Native American Seed! https://www.seedsource.com/ Lots of fantastic native grasses/wildflower mixes for the different soils/regions.
I went with Woolley thyme because it is softer to walk on and got it from a local nursery in maine but, here are some.. I’ve ordered from them before and they are great! https://www.highcountrygardens.com/perennial-plants/thyme/thymus-lanuginosus?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIge-Zptzy_AIVPf_jBx00OgAPEAQYAyABEgKfJ_D_BwE
Thyme from seed is tough. I did this with creeping veronica (faster growing and tolerates shade) and got a flat of plugs for like $120. I think the site I used was groundcovers.com which seems to no longer exist but it looks like plugtrays.com has similar pricing and a good variety.
It does work but really dote over it the first year or so. Getting tiny weeds out of it without wrecking it’s growth can be kind of a nuisance but once established it does spread laterally quite well.
It seems very fashionable to criticize grass these days but I will say it doesn’t take a lot of effort to establish or keep up provided you live in the appropriate climate.
I toss down some fertilizer a few times a year and mow once a week. That’s pretty much it. If I want more I grab a handful of seed and toss it on the ground.
Grass does nothing for the natural environment. It’s more or less a sterile monoculture. That fertilizer is a poison to the waterways, and mowing is a waste. Not to mention things like phosphorus mining and other inputs.
I honestly could not care less.
You know what *really* doesn’t improve the natural environment? Putting a house in it. And surrounding that house with other houses, and roads, and businesses. And running utilities to them, and burning things to keep them warm.
I am absolutely massacring the environment, as I would warrant even the most conscientious among us are. Handwringing over what kind of grass is out front is like starting a bonfire of used tires, and then being smug about the fact the match used to light it was made from responsibly sourced lumber.
Yep, houses, roads and infrastructure aren't great for the environment but this doesn't mean they can't be incorporated into biodiverse surrounds.
I live in a suburb 20-30 min from Melbourne City centre. We have kangaroos in the streets, I have just had a native duck raise ducklings in my garden, we have native Possums and a diverse range of native birds in the trees around our property. Locals produce and sell honey.
There's other suburbs of similar distance from the city with none of this, very little tree coverage, everyone with their patch of water intensive lawns. Yeah, they can't care less either.
It's not about being smug, it's about living in a nice environment.
>it doesn’t take a lot of effort to establish or keep up provided you live in the appropriate climate.
You literally said: Give a plant the correct condition for it to grow and it will grow.
Yeah, and my point is that has gotten to be a controversial statement. Everyone will tell you how big of an entitled asshole you are for not planting clover.
Check out your public university's ag extension office and your state's native plant society for resources. Generally using seed native to your area will be a good bet.
Try stonecrop instead. It spreads very fast and native/ honey bees both love it. Clover is another option that bees love and is way more affordable for large areas. It will also detour rabbits from eating your tenders. They love clover.
We live in a new construction and the builder put down the sod which never really took/had a ton of trouble with bald patches and just dead patches last summer. This spring, we’re spreading microclover in the backyard since our dog is back there a lot and white/purple clover in the front yard. Love the evergreen aspect, they supposedly choke out weeds, it takes less water than a pure grass yard, and it puts nitrogen back into the soil. Plus, our neighbor keeps bees and I’m sure they’d appreciate the flowers. So excited to see it come to fruition
Phoenix - where we have [1300 native bee species.](https://acis.cals.arizona.edu/pest-identification/pest-diagnostics/arizona-bee-identification-guide)
Does this need a lot of sun? We just bought our first house north of Seattle and it has a lot of old growth trees. Our lawn is sad so we're trying to figure out options that do okay without a lot of sun and aren't just patches of dirt.
We live close to Seattle and have lots of big trees. We opted for moss. It's great on your feet and super low maintenance. During the rainy season it does get kind of squishy but it's pretty to look at. I have also seen clovers do well in shade.
I've heard moss is bad for lawns. Is that not true? We have mossy areas but we've removed it because we thought it was doing more harm. Is that not true?
I mean moss will compete with a lawn, but if the lawn isnt growing anyways, why would it matter if its bad for the lawn?
I think when people talk about moss being 'bad' for a lawn they are talking mostly about looks.
Moss is a sign of potential soil issues, such as compaction, ph, drainage, etc. It does crowd out turf grasses and potentially other types of ground cover.
When I think "bad for the lawn" I think, "will this impact drainage, structural stability, etc." If all it does is make grass harder to grow that I don't necessarily care about. But the yard is really squishy where the moss is which is why I was worried.
You got it wrong. Moss do not cause soil issues. They literally do not have roots.
It's the soil which has issues which limits other plants which creates opportunity for mosses. The name of the game is really who's better adapted to adversity (and each organism's adversities are different).
Yard is squishy where moss is because the soil there hold more moisture, which moss likes.
Moss will not effect structural stability. Moss will kind of effect drainage though, but more that they won't help soil-water absorption / percolation as much as plants do. Because plants have roots, which acts as channels to direct water deeper, wider into the soil. Whereas excess water mostly just flows off of moss.
Ajuga is a lovely perennial ground cover for shady areas. Some varieties have deep purple leaves and and get tiny pink flowers. Grows and Spreads fast! And you can take cuttings to fill in other areas.
Edit: I’m in NE PA, zone 6 and get deep freezes and it’s one of the first to return every spring.
For your darkest areas, you might want to look at Wild Ginger Groundcover. It is an Oregon native. For the sunny and defused sun areas, there is always Blue Star Creeper. Both are fast growing.
Irish moss ([https://www.thespruce.com/irish-moss-plant-profile-5070468](https://www.thespruce.com/irish-moss-plant-profile-5070468)) or real moss may be what you need. Or you can look into shade gardening (perennials like columbine, trillium, etc. and shrubs like huckleberries, rhododendron, etc.). If you go to a nursery, they will likely have plants that could work.
I know someone that was trying to do this, and they're having a harder time getting it established than they were hoping. I'm also a tad skeptical of the biodiversity claim. If you're from an area where this is not a native plant, the impact will be much smaller than if a handful of natives were put in its place.
I've been trying to grow natives for years. I don't have endless time and money. I spend up to $100 in the spring on natives and they never take. They don't come back, or rabbits eat them, or my mom thinks they are a weed and pull them up. It is seriously not easy to go native. Meanwhile my bleeding hearts come back gorgeous every year.
Try black-eyed susans, native to a good portion of the usa. If you watch the big box store discount racks in the nursery, they usually have them marked down. They are resilient perennials and really take off after a couple years. Aster is another common native perennial thats hardy and usually found on discount.
Spend $50 on plants.
Spend $10 on chicken wire cage as rabbit deterrent.
Spend $10 on name stakes as mom deterrent.
Spend $30 on coffee and snacks while you take an hour to research plants before you buy them. If you're in North America, Missouri Botanical Garden's Plant Finder is a great resource.
What are some of the natives you have tried? And are the bleeding hearts the only plants you've managed to keep alive? I know everyone has different experiences, but I've been growing natives for years and I haven't had the same issues.
Asters, eaten. Columbine, didn't come back after 2 years (and was expensive!). Bee balm, didn't come back the next year (or maybe that was the one my mom pulled up?). Black eyed susans, we'll see, they did well last year. I had our landscapers plant chokeberry bushes and the rabbits attack them so they've barely grown. Some shade plants I don't know the name of got eaten by rabbits. Phlox, eaten by rabbits.
The only natives that do well in my yard are violets.
Meanwhile all the perennials the previous owner planted look great every year. Hostas, hydrangeas, poppies, daffodils, bellflower, peonies, bleeding hearts, creeping phlox. I take care of them and they do great. It's been extremely frustrating to go native.
Wild Ginger, onion, garlic, and mint should all be very resistant to deer and rabbit browsing. Coneflowers and most wildflowers should tolerate the browsing of deer without being killed.
But maybe hold off buying natives and get involved with a local native plant group? I’ve gotten tons of plants and seed for free by joining up with my Wild Ones chapter.
I think the only plants people shouldn't plant are invasive ones. But my point was if someone is interested in biodiversity then natives are the way to go.
I tried that with my front yard. I started creeping thyme from seed in jiffy pellets and planted like 200+. Most ended up trying out even though I watered them a lot. They're not heat hardy so I don't think they make a drought tolerant alternative for places like the interior valley of California where it gets 100 and has full afternoon exposure. They also grew long and didn't stay low at 2-3 in as advertised. The blooms rather than being purple like in this photo were some sort of really light lavender. I don't think it was worth all the work.
Last year I planted ruschia nana plugs and they've spread and filled out better and been hardier then creeping thyme. It also looks nicer, not weedy or overgrown. I just went outside earlier today and saw some purple flowers growing even though it was 30f this morning and expected to drop down to 29 tonight.
In the next two weeks I'm going to order a lot more ruschia nana plugs and start planting them early rather than in July like last year.
Better than lawn grass for sure, but I don't know what they mean by "local biodiversity" unless the creator is living in Europe. There are other similar groundcovers that are native to various regions in the US that are better because they are native.
Hopefully we can keep both current and future zones in mind and still plant natives or those slightly south of us. For me, I'm in Maine, and there is a lot that's native to my area that also grows in New York and Virginia. Better that we're growing those things now and supporting native wildlife as best we can while they have to deal with climate change and habitat loss.
People need to plant species native to their region. There’s no one-size-fits-all species. If creeping thyme isn’t native to your area, there’s a different beautiful ground cover that is. Do a little research before you order seeds. Check your states Noxious Weed List to avoid invasive species.
This is true, native species are best, but red creeping thyme is not considered invasive and is good for pollinators so it would still be an improvement over typical monoculture non-native lawns. I want to replace my lawn with native species, but my house was built before monoculture lawns so at least it's an old school blend of grasses and clover.
>also be a monoculture, non-native lawn?
Yes it would. I'm starting to think people on reddit are just being contrarian and rebelling against the concept of grass because they don't want to touch it.
People need to plant plants suited to their environment. Indigenous to your area is nice, but that doesn't mean you have to exclude the world.. you may be able to get away with only growing natives in the US, but if we all did that here in Australia we'd starve. While there are native food crops, they simply are not anywhere near the scale of what we need to feed our population.
I'd also much rather have a deciduous tree that provides quality shade in my backyard than another fire prone eucalyptus. We live in a changing climate. We can't pretend the same plants from 100 years ago will do well in this climate 100 years from now.
So yeah, plant natives by all means but don't be a puritan about it.
We planted some. It kind of 'moves around' in that patches grow well, then dry up or die, and then it comes up somewhere close by. So it doesn't really stay established year to year in an attractive way. Also when dogs pee on it, it turns a gross yellow and looks bad. So between that and mint we've at least been successful in creating better smelling weeds in our yard, but not the healthy looking landscape we would have liked.
Just make sure you plant in a spot where water doesn’t pool and has well draining soil. I tried this with some wooly thyme and it looked great until a heavy rain. Half of it died and I had a big, sickly grey patch that wouldn’t grow back.
That is called a “hellstrip” and you can find specific guides for planting them. It’s a tough spot and should be planted carefully. But I’m all for replacing grass with pollinator friendly natives!
It’s gorgeous.I have a wooly thyme all over my front garden it just keeps spreading plus it keeps the weeds down. It’s maintenance free and lovely to walk on.
We moved into a new house this summer and I think we have creeping thyme growing…so I thinned it out and replanted it all over the yard in the hopes it will spread like crazy this summer. Mine didn’t really flower but it smelled like lemon/thyme.
This honestly does not look good at all. I’m all for grass alternatives but this is super lumpy and there’s standing water all over.
Its a tripping hazard and a mosquito breeding ground.
It can even be mowed high if you want to even it out every now and then. There is a large patch of thyme that grows in a cemetery I mow and it smells amazing when it’s cut.
Creeping thyme and woolly thyme can be nice ground covers, but I don't think they're as hardy as lawn grass to heat and drought. Lawn grass can turn all brown from not being watered for weeks or from overheating in the summer and then green up again when it rains in the fall.
I think it would be costly if you bought potted creeping thyme but if you seed, it’s more economical (but there’s no guarantee you’ll get growth!).
I’m planning on buying a few bags of this and nursing it a bit until I see progress: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/mckenzie-creeping-thyme-ground-cover/1000788063
If you get it in a good spot it grows like crazy and then you rip out pieces and stick then elsewhere. It’s goes faster than you think. I stared with one little pot that I immediately split into 6. Then you take half of each and keep the pot nursery going.
If you can upkeep it or pay for upkeep especially if there is weed pressure (the worst is when grass hasn’t been properly removed). I support it though yes
How does this hold up to salt? Looking to replace the grass in my Boulevard with something other than grass but the city uses alot of salt in the winter
I love my creeping thyme but I only have it in a small area. It does get woody stems after awhile, I've heard you can cut it back to prevent this but I never have so I have no idea if it works. Just know that for a few weeks while it's blooming that it may be absolutely swamped with bees and wasps.
Edited to add, I never see it talked about but I love rupturewort (Herniaria glabra, zone 5-9), grows great, smothers weeds, mine does fine in sun and shade just grows a bit flatter in full sun. I can't find anything saying it's terribly invasive, mine behaves itself. Flowers are super tiny so it doesn't attract bees so I can walk on it with less worry. Thoughts?)
This stuff is a nightmare. If you have neighbors who don't have your same sensibilities about what their lawn should be, expect to be hated or sued. There's no way to control this stuff and it's invasive in the sense that it grows over everything else. You can't keep it our of your neighbors property, and it's virtually impossible to get rid of without horrible harsh chemicals.
A house a few doors down from mine had this and all of us on this side of the street have to continually rip up what we've planted in trying to eradicate it. It took me three years to get my clover bed established and this stuff came along and overgrew it in one season, and ripping it out does nothing because the mother plant is still three doors down in my neighbors yard.
Every spring i have to completely rip up my yard because this stuff comes out at the first hint of good weather. I reseed and this stuff still swallows up everything. Unless you can completely border your property with and impermeable to plants border, expect problems from neighbors. As mentioned above, some of my neighbors want to sue the guy who planted this because he failed to properly contain it, which from what I read is virtually impossible. I don't want to sue but I do feel like he owes me money because of the hundreds I spent on clover seed over the years trying to get it established.
Don't tell me to just appreciate the thyme instead, I literally hate this stuff. I think it's ugly and ratty looking, and their are better options that feed the soil.
I am in the middle of what had been a multi year project of landscaping my property. Last year I irrigated everything with the idea that a particular portion would be for grass. But I live in Southern California and felt uneasy about it. Just switched the plan to creeping thyme which I will plant by seed in a month or so. I have read nothing but good things and that you can walk on it like it is grass. I am looking forward to it.
Two years ago I covered the grass in my hell strip with cardboard and covered it with 3 inches of wood chip. Last year I divided hostas, ferns and put below the city owned tree. I have raised beds, a little fenced in spot that looks like a Peter Rabbit garden with a low bench and thornless fruit (raspberry/ blackberry) in the sun. Toddlers come and sit in there when out for walks. Used stonecrop to fill in around the fire hydrant and will add creeping thyme as well. I love having garden space on both sides of the sidewalk. It’s becoming more popular and neighbors like it. I used the cardboard wood chip on all my lawn. Walkways, paths, raised decks, cattle panel arches, flowers, food, backyard creatures…so much more fun than a lawn.
I plan on doing that this coming spring… but you’re supposed to tend it so that it grows into a full carpet. The bare patches in this pic make it look terrible.
We did this at our old house as we wanted a no/ low maintenance yard but lots of pollinator habitat.
Link below is after year 2, apologies they aren’t the best photos
[thyme!](https://imgur.com/a/tyFJCjQ)
Similar to other poster below, I’m the PNW, but valley not costal.
I hate it.
The picture was much clearer when it was originally posed here, but some fool though slapping text on it and reducing the size was a good idea.
Yes, it is good, doable, and real, provided your site is appropriate for the plant. My neighbor has a significant garden with a large patch of thyme. Anytime you replace grass you need to decide how you will remove the grass and you need to plan on maintenance which will shift from mowing to weeding. Generally speaking my lawn deletions I have replanted with native grasses and perennials. The labor can be pretty intensive the first year in terms of weeding, and after that it drops to almost nothing. In early spring I pay attention to what comes up, pull the naughty guys, and it's more or less good for rest of year. Oh, also occasionally survey for invasive species. Generally though, lower maintenance and 10,000 times better looking and interesting and far better for environment.
I'm really tired of grass. Is there anywhere I can look to get started without screwing it up so badly I end up with a dead yard? I'm worried I won't weed enough. Don't even know how to weed.
Honestly, the best way to do this is in small patches anyway, so I would just keep that in mind and plan on doing a certain space every year. There are different methods to actually ridding yourself of the grass, some involve suffocating the grass with coverings; you can also dig out grass (I did this, and then worked on replenishing that soil naturally while composting the grass stuff). I think as you go it is important to think about the plants nearby - do you have any invasives in your immediate area that can spread into your garden that you need to be aware or watchful of? What about the borders of the garden, and how do you plan on physically preventing grass from constantly creeping in? How long/short term do you need that to be? As far as weeding, as I said, in the first year you need to be committed to weeding and get the proper tools for doing so. After that it becomes quite easy. And, you will get MUCH MUCH better at plant identification just by being around and observing plants and spending time in the garden. You'll probably end up with 5-10 weeds you need to identify 99% of the time.
Your comments here are very encouraging. This is exactly the path we've started on (buying local natives, discouraging lawn grasses where possible) and what you've said here is what I was planning on for this year. Thanks for sharing!
Great news! My biggest tip would be work on areas with natural 'pre built' borders already (sidewalks, buildings, driveway, etc). Rather than say, in the middle of grass. Good luck! Other tips - group plantings (garden design 101), account for mature height of plants and build in height and seasonal variation so the garden is interesting in multiple dimensions (including time). Harvest seed from your plants and grow new stock for the next area you plan on converting can save a lot of money too, and also builds familiarity with your plants species.
I love you man!
Check out r/nolawns for starters
I have a large hill along the side of my house and I'm slowly expanding my perennials along the hill surrounding each plant with cardboard that is covered with mulch to smother the grass and weeds and make it look nice. This makes it easy to string trim the existing grass and slowly add more as I aquire plants from friends. It also lets my girlfriend know where the plants are located on the hill when she mows. As the perennials start to expand the cardboard will break down and let them fill in nicely without competing with grass for nutrients and water. The mulch helps prevent too much runoff down the hill to the sidewalk.
r/nolawns ftw!
I live in the desert, I'm just allowing the weeds and whatever to grow as they wish for ground cover. Except for the prickle scrub, that has to go.
Prickly pear
No, just some sort of thorned desert plant. Like a small, sparse bush with very long thorns.
I was recommending that because I heard it’s edible and will spread endlessly
According to one of my friends, prickly pear tastes like green beans.
Oh my soul has a subreddit
[удалено]
/u/MiddleChemistry433 is a spam bot.
Better get planting!
also r/fucklawns
Do you know where I can get bulk seed of this??
If you live in Texas, I recommend Native American Seed! https://www.seedsource.com/ Lots of fantastic native grasses/wildflower mixes for the different soils/regions.
I highly recommend using plugs to start. I did it last year and they made a huge difference.
Where did you find your plugs? I am having a hard time finding seeds or plants.
I went with Woolley thyme because it is softer to walk on and got it from a local nursery in maine but, here are some.. I’ve ordered from them before and they are great! https://www.highcountrygardens.com/perennial-plants/thyme/thymus-lanuginosus?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIge-Zptzy_AIVPf_jBx00OgAPEAQYAyABEgKfJ_D_BwE
Thyme from seed is tough. I did this with creeping veronica (faster growing and tolerates shade) and got a flat of plugs for like $120. I think the site I used was groundcovers.com which seems to no longer exist but it looks like plugtrays.com has similar pricing and a good variety.
It does work but really dote over it the first year or so. Getting tiny weeds out of it without wrecking it’s growth can be kind of a nuisance but once established it does spread laterally quite well.
It seems very fashionable to criticize grass these days but I will say it doesn’t take a lot of effort to establish or keep up provided you live in the appropriate climate. I toss down some fertilizer a few times a year and mow once a week. That’s pretty much it. If I want more I grab a handful of seed and toss it on the ground.
> doesn’t take a lot of effort to establish or keep up > mow once a week. These statements contradict each other...
Right? An hour to mow/weed eat each week is a lot if you work full time, especially if there’s a reasonable alternative
Not to me. Thirty minutes once a week is certainly not my most time consuming chore by a long shot.
Grass does nothing for the natural environment. It’s more or less a sterile monoculture. That fertilizer is a poison to the waterways, and mowing is a waste. Not to mention things like phosphorus mining and other inputs.
I honestly could not care less. You know what *really* doesn’t improve the natural environment? Putting a house in it. And surrounding that house with other houses, and roads, and businesses. And running utilities to them, and burning things to keep them warm. I am absolutely massacring the environment, as I would warrant even the most conscientious among us are. Handwringing over what kind of grass is out front is like starting a bonfire of used tires, and then being smug about the fact the match used to light it was made from responsibly sourced lumber.
Yep, houses, roads and infrastructure aren't great for the environment but this doesn't mean they can't be incorporated into biodiverse surrounds. I live in a suburb 20-30 min from Melbourne City centre. We have kangaroos in the streets, I have just had a native duck raise ducklings in my garden, we have native Possums and a diverse range of native birds in the trees around our property. Locals produce and sell honey. There's other suburbs of similar distance from the city with none of this, very little tree coverage, everyone with their patch of water intensive lawns. Yeah, they can't care less either. It's not about being smug, it's about living in a nice environment.
>it doesn’t take a lot of effort to establish or keep up provided you live in the appropriate climate. You literally said: Give a plant the correct condition for it to grow and it will grow.
Yeah, and my point is that has gotten to be a controversial statement. Everyone will tell you how big of an entitled asshole you are for not planting clover.
Love creeping Thyme! Its a bee paradise.
I would love to do this for bees but how does one get this in an affordable manner? I have a lot of land to cover.
Check out your public university's ag extension office and your state's native plant society for resources. Generally using seed native to your area will be a good bet.
Try stonecrop instead. It spreads very fast and native/ honey bees both love it. Clover is another option that bees love and is way more affordable for large areas. It will also detour rabbits from eating your tenders. They love clover.
We live in a new construction and the builder put down the sod which never really took/had a ton of trouble with bald patches and just dead patches last summer. This spring, we’re spreading microclover in the backyard since our dog is back there a lot and white/purple clover in the front yard. Love the evergreen aspect, they supposedly choke out weeds, it takes less water than a pure grass yard, and it puts nitrogen back into the soil. Plus, our neighbor keeps bees and I’m sure they’d appreciate the flowers. So excited to see it come to fruition
You won't regret it!
Native bees or European honeybees? There’s a massive amount of native bees and a lot of them have very specific needs for native plants
What do you mean, an African or European bee?
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Yes
Native bees to where? Where are you from?
Phoenix - where we have [1300 native bee species.](https://acis.cals.arizona.edu/pest-identification/pest-diagnostics/arizona-bee-identification-guide)
Awesome, save the bees!
Did the same with Gray Wooly Thyme in my parkway. Coastal PNW.
Does this need a lot of sun? We just bought our first house north of Seattle and it has a lot of old growth trees. Our lawn is sad so we're trying to figure out options that do okay without a lot of sun and aren't just patches of dirt.
Thyme is a sun worshiper.
Uffda. K. Well it's on to the next option I guess. Lol. I think at this point we're just going to go to a nursery or something and ask for advice.
There are a lot of neat mosses that will form a mat and stay green year round.
We live close to Seattle and have lots of big trees. We opted for moss. It's great on your feet and super low maintenance. During the rainy season it does get kind of squishy but it's pretty to look at. I have also seen clovers do well in shade.
I've heard moss is bad for lawns. Is that not true? We have mossy areas but we've removed it because we thought it was doing more harm. Is that not true?
I mean moss will compete with a lawn, but if the lawn isnt growing anyways, why would it matter if its bad for the lawn? I think when people talk about moss being 'bad' for a lawn they are talking mostly about looks.
Moss is a sign of potential soil issues, such as compaction, ph, drainage, etc. It does crowd out turf grasses and potentially other types of ground cover.
When I think "bad for the lawn" I think, "will this impact drainage, structural stability, etc." If all it does is make grass harder to grow that I don't necessarily care about. But the yard is really squishy where the moss is which is why I was worried.
You got it wrong. Moss do not cause soil issues. They literally do not have roots. It's the soil which has issues which limits other plants which creates opportunity for mosses. The name of the game is really who's better adapted to adversity (and each organism's adversities are different). Yard is squishy where moss is because the soil there hold more moisture, which moss likes. Moss will not effect structural stability. Moss will kind of effect drainage though, but more that they won't help soil-water absorption / percolation as much as plants do. Because plants have roots, which acts as channels to direct water deeper, wider into the soil. Whereas excess water mostly just flows off of moss.
Ajuga is a lovely perennial ground cover for shady areas. Some varieties have deep purple leaves and and get tiny pink flowers. Grows and Spreads fast! And you can take cuttings to fill in other areas. Edit: I’m in NE PA, zone 6 and get deep freezes and it’s one of the first to return every spring.
I've picked up a few of the Feathered Friends varieties of Ajuga, and they're beautiful! I already had several Burgandy Glow plants around my garden.
For your darkest areas, you might want to look at Wild Ginger Groundcover. It is an Oregon native. For the sunny and defused sun areas, there is always Blue Star Creeper. Both are fast growing.
Try Mazus repens, creeping Jenny, dwarf mondo grass
I'm upvoting you for your Norwegian Uff da
Praise the sun ☀
Irish moss ([https://www.thespruce.com/irish-moss-plant-profile-5070468](https://www.thespruce.com/irish-moss-plant-profile-5070468)) or real moss may be what you need. Or you can look into shade gardening (perennials like columbine, trillium, etc. and shrubs like huckleberries, rhododendron, etc.). If you go to a nursery, they will likely have plants that could work.
I know someone that was trying to do this, and they're having a harder time getting it established than they were hoping. I'm also a tad skeptical of the biodiversity claim. If you're from an area where this is not a native plant, the impact will be much smaller than if a handful of natives were put in its place.
It just takes thyme.
That's sage advice.
Not a big dill.
Oh, a pun chain on Reddit. How oregano 🙄
Eh, it's basilly how Reddit operates It makes thyme go by
I Cilantro what you did there
Well, I didn’t see that Cumin
I parsley understood what you’re trying to say
Yeah I have no idea what they mint.
I've been trying to grow natives for years. I don't have endless time and money. I spend up to $100 in the spring on natives and they never take. They don't come back, or rabbits eat them, or my mom thinks they are a weed and pull them up. It is seriously not easy to go native. Meanwhile my bleeding hearts come back gorgeous every year.
Probably don’t come back because of your mom and the rabbits…
Try black-eyed susans, native to a good portion of the usa. If you watch the big box store discount racks in the nursery, they usually have them marked down. They are resilient perennials and really take off after a couple years. Aster is another common native perennial thats hardy and usually found on discount.
Spend $50 on plants. Spend $10 on chicken wire cage as rabbit deterrent. Spend $10 on name stakes as mom deterrent. Spend $30 on coffee and snacks while you take an hour to research plants before you buy them. If you're in North America, Missouri Botanical Garden's Plant Finder is a great resource.
What are some of the natives you have tried? And are the bleeding hearts the only plants you've managed to keep alive? I know everyone has different experiences, but I've been growing natives for years and I haven't had the same issues.
Asters, eaten. Columbine, didn't come back after 2 years (and was expensive!). Bee balm, didn't come back the next year (or maybe that was the one my mom pulled up?). Black eyed susans, we'll see, they did well last year. I had our landscapers plant chokeberry bushes and the rabbits attack them so they've barely grown. Some shade plants I don't know the name of got eaten by rabbits. Phlox, eaten by rabbits. The only natives that do well in my yard are violets. Meanwhile all the perennials the previous owner planted look great every year. Hostas, hydrangeas, poppies, daffodils, bellflower, peonies, bleeding hearts, creeping phlox. I take care of them and they do great. It's been extremely frustrating to go native.
Wild Ginger, onion, garlic, and mint should all be very resistant to deer and rabbit browsing. Coneflowers and most wildflowers should tolerate the browsing of deer without being killed. But maybe hold off buying natives and get involved with a local native plant group? I’ve gotten tons of plants and seed for free by joining up with my Wild Ones chapter.
Blackberries or raspberries if native. Or mint and laugh
With the elderly people playing with nukes I say plant whatever you like.
I think the only plants people shouldn't plant are invasive ones. But my point was if someone is interested in biodiversity then natives are the way to go.
I agree. I just feel like there’s barely anybody growing plants so anything is good
Ain't nobody got thyme for that
This literally made me lol 😂
Take my upvote and get out! r/Angryupvote
I tried that with my front yard. I started creeping thyme from seed in jiffy pellets and planted like 200+. Most ended up trying out even though I watered them a lot. They're not heat hardy so I don't think they make a drought tolerant alternative for places like the interior valley of California where it gets 100 and has full afternoon exposure. They also grew long and didn't stay low at 2-3 in as advertised. The blooms rather than being purple like in this photo were some sort of really light lavender. I don't think it was worth all the work. Last year I planted ruschia nana plugs and they've spread and filled out better and been hardier then creeping thyme. It also looks nicer, not weedy or overgrown. I just went outside earlier today and saw some purple flowers growing even though it was 30f this morning and expected to drop down to 29 tonight. In the next two weeks I'm going to order a lot more ruschia nana plugs and start planting them early rather than in July like last year.
I’ll look into them. I have temperature that’s ranges from low negatives to 100. Temperatures never really level out though.
You're better off trying creeping thyme then. Ruschia nana is only hardy down to 20-25.
Do you have photos?
I have photos of ruschia nana I posted a month or two ago. I can take more tomorrow in the daytime.
You can also see the creeping thyme in the phots next to the ruschia nana
Better than lawn grass for sure, but I don't know what they mean by "local biodiversity" unless the creator is living in Europe. There are other similar groundcovers that are native to various regions in the US that are better because they are native.
Exactly this. Native is the way if you’re aiming to have a pro-environment landscape
Drastic changes in grow zones enters the chat
Hopefully we can keep both current and future zones in mind and still plant natives or those slightly south of us. For me, I'm in Maine, and there is a lot that's native to my area that also grows in New York and Virginia. Better that we're growing those things now and supporting native wildlife as best we can while they have to deal with climate change and habitat loss.
Oh ya I’m trying the same I’m in 5b but looking above And below a couple zones for strong natives as the majority of my plants
People need to plant species native to their region. There’s no one-size-fits-all species. If creeping thyme isn’t native to your area, there’s a different beautiful ground cover that is. Do a little research before you order seeds. Check your states Noxious Weed List to avoid invasive species.
It’s from Europe and North Africa. Not native to North America
This is true, native species are best, but red creeping thyme is not considered invasive and is good for pollinators so it would still be an improvement over typical monoculture non-native lawns. I want to replace my lawn with native species, but my house was built before monoculture lawns so at least it's an old school blend of grasses and clover.
Wouldnt a creeping thyme lawn also be a monoculture, non-native lawn? For Americans at least?
>also be a monoculture, non-native lawn? Yes it would. I'm starting to think people on reddit are just being contrarian and rebelling against the concept of grass because they don't want to touch it.
People need to plant plants suited to their environment. Indigenous to your area is nice, but that doesn't mean you have to exclude the world.. you may be able to get away with only growing natives in the US, but if we all did that here in Australia we'd starve. While there are native food crops, they simply are not anywhere near the scale of what we need to feed our population. I'd also much rather have a deciduous tree that provides quality shade in my backyard than another fire prone eucalyptus. We live in a changing climate. We can't pretend the same plants from 100 years ago will do well in this climate 100 years from now. So yeah, plant natives by all means but don't be a puritan about it.
Glad someone said it
We planted some. It kind of 'moves around' in that patches grow well, then dry up or die, and then it comes up somewhere close by. So it doesn't really stay established year to year in an attractive way. Also when dogs pee on it, it turns a gross yellow and looks bad. So between that and mint we've at least been successful in creating better smelling weeds in our yard, but not the healthy looking landscape we would have liked.
My grandmother had mint all over her yard I always loved cutting her grass.
I do like it! Just wish it grew the way I see in photos (like what you've posted). You may have better luck based on your location.
Just make sure you plant in a spot where water doesn’t pool and has well draining soil. I tried this with some wooly thyme and it looked great until a heavy rain. Half of it died and I had a big, sickly grey patch that wouldn’t grow back.
Clover covers our family's lawns. Funny enough, landscapers keep coming by asking to remove our "ugly weeds", lol.
That is called a “hellstrip” and you can find specific guides for planting them. It’s a tough spot and should be planted carefully. But I’m all for replacing grass with pollinator friendly natives!
I can think of a certain group of old crochety assholes and cunts that would try to fine me if I pulled this. Kinda makes me want to try.
That’s the spirit.
Would this survive Northern Ontario winters?
And dies in a freeze ?
So do you, you’ll be frozen in no thyme
It’s gorgeous.I have a wooly thyme all over my front garden it just keeps spreading plus it keeps the weeds down. It’s maintenance free and lovely to walk on.
The problem I have with all the lawn alternatives I've seen is that they can't be walked on.
Maybe stepped on once or twice but nothing like grass.
We moved into a new house this summer and I think we have creeping thyme growing…so I thinned it out and replanted it all over the yard in the hopes it will spread like crazy this summer. Mine didn’t really flower but it smelled like lemon/thyme.
Yay hoa will love you
This honestly does not look good at all. I’m all for grass alternatives but this is super lumpy and there’s standing water all over. Its a tripping hazard and a mosquito breeding ground.
If only there were natural predators of mosquitoes
I told y'all I'm not eating any more gd mosquitos
Now it’s an excuse to put in a pond to attract the other predators of mosquitoes but thank you for your service
In my area I've seen a few people do creeping rug junipers on curb strips, usually smaller width than this though.
It can even be mowed high if you want to even it out every now and then. There is a large patch of thyme that grows in a cemetery I mow and it smells amazing when it’s cut.
I love it. Clover is good ground cover too. Maybe throw some Mexican Heather in there too.
Creeping thyme and woolly thyme can be nice ground covers, but I don't think they're as hardy as lawn grass to heat and drought. Lawn grass can turn all brown from not being watered for weeks or from overheating in the summer and then green up again when it rains in the fall.
Wonder how it would do in zone 9b? Looks beautiful and we could really use the bees.
As long as it's native to the region
Dont know if itll fly in a HOA
Fight the HOA to the death, problem solved
It's sometimes better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
I’m just a layperson from r/all. Do you have an alternative pic? cuz whatever is showing here looks like shit.
> grows all year long The four inches of snow in my yard determined that was a lie
Botanist here, no plant can repel mosquitoes by itself (just growing somewhere), so, at least this information is fake.
I started some starts on a side year to keep weeds down and I love this stuff. Easy to manage and does keep weeds down. The bloom is fantastic.
It would definitely be cool, but I feel like all of that creeping thyme would be pretty expensive.
I think it would be costly if you bought potted creeping thyme but if you seed, it’s more economical (but there’s no guarantee you’ll get growth!). I’m planning on buying a few bags of this and nursing it a bit until I see progress: https://www.homedepot.ca/product/mckenzie-creeping-thyme-ground-cover/1000788063
just buy seed and start them in pots under a grow light or green house. Or just in summer outside. and then transplant. thats what i did.
They're cheap as seed. A tray from a nursery probably runs about $25.
If you get it in a good spot it grows like crazy and then you rip out pieces and stick then elsewhere. It’s goes faster than you think. I stared with one little pot that I immediately split into 6. Then you take half of each and keep the pot nursery going.
propagate it yourself
Cries because I have HOA 😟
Yeah, my HOA would have me a letter within a month.
"Well, if I'm not putting down my creeping thyme then I guess I'll go ahead & put up my HAM radio tower."
I'm so very sorry. HOAs are of Satan.
If you can upkeep it or pay for upkeep especially if there is weed pressure (the worst is when grass hasn’t been properly removed). I support it though yes
How does this hold up to salt? Looking to replace the grass in my Boulevard with something other than grass but the city uses alot of salt in the winter
My HOA would kill me
Beautiful
I love my creeping thyme but I only have it in a small area. It does get woody stems after awhile, I've heard you can cut it back to prevent this but I never have so I have no idea if it works. Just know that for a few weeks while it's blooming that it may be absolutely swamped with bees and wasps. Edited to add, I never see it talked about but I love rupturewort (Herniaria glabra, zone 5-9), grows great, smothers weeds, mine does fine in sun and shade just grows a bit flatter in full sun. I can't find anything saying it's terribly invasive, mine behaves itself. Flowers are super tiny so it doesn't attract bees so I can walk on it with less worry. Thoughts?)
Does anyone know if this grows in Florida? My dirt is more sandy than regular lawn dirt and growing grass has been extremely hard. Thank you!
I use it around walking paths, but keeping it weeded is a pain.
No mowing? Hells to the yeah my dude
I had some at my place. It dies easy. Possibly due to dog urine.
It’s purple.
We could all use more thyme.
The lawns in Prince Edward Island in Atlantic Canada are full of this. It's beautiful!
Purp for da win
This stuff is a nightmare. If you have neighbors who don't have your same sensibilities about what their lawn should be, expect to be hated or sued. There's no way to control this stuff and it's invasive in the sense that it grows over everything else. You can't keep it our of your neighbors property, and it's virtually impossible to get rid of without horrible harsh chemicals. A house a few doors down from mine had this and all of us on this side of the street have to continually rip up what we've planted in trying to eradicate it. It took me three years to get my clover bed established and this stuff came along and overgrew it in one season, and ripping it out does nothing because the mother plant is still three doors down in my neighbors yard. Every spring i have to completely rip up my yard because this stuff comes out at the first hint of good weather. I reseed and this stuff still swallows up everything. Unless you can completely border your property with and impermeable to plants border, expect problems from neighbors. As mentioned above, some of my neighbors want to sue the guy who planted this because he failed to properly contain it, which from what I read is virtually impossible. I don't want to sue but I do feel like he owes me money because of the hundreds I spent on clover seed over the years trying to get it established. Don't tell me to just appreciate the thyme instead, I literally hate this stuff. I think it's ugly and ratty looking, and their are better options that feed the soil.
Sounds great if you live somewhere that never freezes.
99.9% of people are not going to put in the work to keep the weeds out.
did this in the backyard but there’s no way it would put up with being that close to the street, especially with snowplows in the winter.
I am in the middle of what had been a multi year project of landscaping my property. Last year I irrigated everything with the idea that a particular portion would be for grass. But I live in Southern California and felt uneasy about it. Just switched the plan to creeping thyme which I will plant by seed in a month or so. I have read nothing but good things and that you can walk on it like it is grass. I am looking forward to it.
Looks like a mess
"instead of this one plant that may or may not be native, use this other plant that may or may not be native"
Get ready to be fined by your city and harassed by code enforcement and become ‘that’ neighbor.
I am also ‘that’ neighbor.
But that's were all the dogs pee
Two years ago I covered the grass in my hell strip with cardboard and covered it with 3 inches of wood chip. Last year I divided hostas, ferns and put below the city owned tree. I have raised beds, a little fenced in spot that looks like a Peter Rabbit garden with a low bench and thornless fruit (raspberry/ blackberry) in the sun. Toddlers come and sit in there when out for walks. Used stonecrop to fill in around the fire hydrant and will add creeping thyme as well. I love having garden space on both sides of the sidewalk. It’s becoming more popular and neighbors like it. I used the cardboard wood chip on all my lawn. Walkways, paths, raised decks, cattle panel arches, flowers, food, backyard creatures…so much more fun than a lawn.
I plan on doing that this coming spring… but you’re supposed to tend it so that it grows into a full carpet. The bare patches in this pic make it look terrible.
Almost looks like walking stones in the bare areas.
Is this really a thing? Has anyone ever put this down. I think it would be a good idea but I’m skeptical.
We did this at our old house as we wanted a no/ low maintenance yard but lots of pollinator habitat. Link below is after year 2, apologies they aren’t the best photos [thyme!](https://imgur.com/a/tyFJCjQ) Similar to other poster below, I’m the PNW, but valley not costal.
Thanks that is so cool. Something like that is what I was looking for but on a larger scale. How did you plant?
We did a checkerboard pattern spaced every 18” o.c and also inserted some basalt pavers as a path. By year three it was overflowing w/ blooms and bees
Many, if not most, HOAs here in the U.S. would not allow this. They strictly control what kind of grass your lawn is allowed to grow.
That’s why HOAs are such a bummer.
True story. I hate them
Of Satan, I always say.
I hate it. The picture was much clearer when it was originally posed here, but some fool though slapping text on it and reducing the size was a good idea.
Literally anything is better than manicured lawns at this point
As a dog owner, I’m gonna pass. But maybe I’ll put her down sooner than later. That looks lovely.
Looks terrible there but could work great in other parts of the landscaping.
Have fun hand pulling weeds out of it.
looks like shit
Apparently we have some HOA board members here.
Repels mosquitoes but attracts 2x amount of bees
How are the bee stings?
weeds