I'm getting rid of my front lawn! Yippeee!

14 years ago

I've been working on my hubby for a couple months and have finally got him behind the idea of getting rid of our front lawn. This weekend I started putting down a path and next weekend I'm bringing the beds on either side out to meet it... doubling the amount of available planting space I have.

For the path, I just laid down cardboard and put mulch on top of it, and am lining the sides with paving bricks. For the beds, it'll be more cardboard or newspaper topped with compost, and then planted with... who knows!? But I'm pumped for this great excuse to go on a massive plant spree!

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Comments (10)

newyorkrita
14 years ago
That sounds great to me. And that is exactly how I make new gardenbeds, I never dig up the lawn, just lay newspaper and whatnot on top. Compost, leaves, straw all work. I already got rid of my front lawn. Flowers look better than grass anyway.

You will have so much fun planning and then planting all the new gardenspace.
organic_kitten
14 years ago
What fun! DH asked me yesterday if I was going to make the entire yard flowers. And no, mine is a little large for that. But I have made an new bed that just kept growing.
kay
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lgslgs
14 years ago
All 5000 square feet of my front yard is now grass free. 3000 of it is in my main garden beds (porch garden and border garden.) The center 2000 if for vegetable containers will will share space with my 2010 project "Dianthus Farm". :)

You are going to love being grass free! If you are not yet a Wintersower - be sure to take a look at that forum. Great way to fill the front yard with thousands and thousands of plants at low cost.

Lynda
sarahrock
Original Author
14 years ago
My yard is rather tiny so it's not SUCH a drastic measure, but that's all the more reason why doubling my planting space sounds so good! I don't know anything about Wintersowing, but I'm headed to the forum right now. Thanks!
plantmaven
14 years ago
I think you will love it.

I did the same thing. But I left grass paths.

Feb. 2008
{{gwi:677070}}

March 2009

{{gwi:677073}}

Easter 2010

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But we had the worst winter since 1987 and I still don't have everything cut back.
I am 66 years old and I think I bit off more than I can now chew.

Kathy
catscottage
14 years ago
where I started 09-2008
{{gwi:677077}}

now only grass in the paths and if that does not improve it will be gone too.

{{gwi:677080}}

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schoolhouse_gw
14 years ago
I have too much lawn to get rid of, besides I like the green altho I know why many of you would rather not spend all your time mowing.

As far as new beds in grass, I tried bringing back the annual borders in the orchard - started three years ago. Ugh. This Spring I give up. I'm letting them go back to grass and weeds, I haven't the patience for all that weeding and such. Instead I did plant a few new flowering shrubs in place of the annuals and am allowing the perennials to stay. Some of the perennials are part of the original borders of many years ago. However, I do love seeing flower borders in other people's gardens
luckygal
14 years ago
Great pics! My fav gardens are those with limited (or no!) lawn altho I've always had a struggle with my DH on that subject. Every city property we ever had I reduced the size of the lawn but now we have such a huge area to garden there's no way I can have it all in flowers.
token28001
14 years ago
I did that to most of my yard too. I have a proper front lawn, but only because it's too shady to really do much with. I might start a new garden there in a couple years. Still trying to get the ones I have under control first.

{{gwi:677085}}

This is my oldest one. It was started in the fall of 2008. About 90% of it is wintersown from seed. The rest are cuttings, gifts, and clearance rack purchases.

{{gwi:677088}}

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This is my newest one, started just this spring. I did the same as your planning. I just scattered seeds once the mulch was down. I used horse manure mixed with pine shavings from a coworker that owns two horses.

{{gwi:384322}}
natalie4b
14 years ago
Congratulations! I have done it for the entire property last spring, and enjoy planting flowers and expanding beds everywhere. So wonderful! So happy I have done it - saved a bundle on the grass cutting (well, spent a bunch on plants - but it so worth it!)
Good for you!

I'm getting rid of my front lawn! Yippeee!

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newyorkrita

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I'm getting rid of my front lawn! Yippeee!

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