A lot of people like clover. I believe they ignore the bees. My favorite buzzy insect is the paper wasp. I am nurturing a nest of them outside my back door. I like them because they clean up the caterpillars from the yard and, if I don't bother them, they don't bother me. Would you be willing to spray vinegar on the clover? You could try that on a hot, sunny day (hah, hah, Portland!). Maybe just a sunny day. You only spray the leaves, not the soil. Vinegar should kill the tops. Spray again if/when it comes back. It will come back from seed until the seed is all gone. Seeding over existing grass is done all the time, but usually in the fall when the underlying lawn has settled into a routine. In the spring you will be fighting against the clover trying to grow fast on the nutrients stored over the winter. If you try it, scalp the grass/weeds as low as you can before you start. You want to get the seed in contact with the underlying soil so the roots will grow into soil. Roots will not grow into air if the soil they sprout into is being held above the soil by other plants. What kind of grass were you thinking? I think rye is very common in the PNW. You might be able to keep the weeds out by mowing your grass at the highest setting on your mower. Tall grass shades out the weed seedlings underneath and stops them from photosynthesizing.

Hi silphion. The grasses I have seen used at beach parks and beach resorts are either zoysia tenuifolia or seashore paspalum. Here on Kaua'i, the little islands in the parking lots at the mall are covered with the zoysia. It looks exactly like a very light green astroturf. It grows slowly and very tight. The cool thing about seashore paspalum is that it is very salt tolerant. You can even irrigate it with seawater! If you get weeds or another invasive grass, just sprinkle some salt, or saltwater on the area. Both are warm season grasses. I do not know if they will survive in Oregon.

I love it! Actually you are really hitting on the whole "feel" I will be going for. I tell you what ... I will give you a pic of the backyard in progress. We are putting up a fence at the moment. But .. on the slope I am thinking I want to do something involving a natural looking setting with some sort of water feature. A natural looking waterfall type feature?? There will be a gate at the top of the hill and I would like to build on the cinder block stairs someone put in once. Any ideas would be appreciated if you still feel like working with your new SW program! Hill: I want to terrace the slope - have some natural stairs a water feature and some screening behind what will be the fence. I need a lawn area for the dogs to run and play. I have no idea how I will plant along the fence ... perhaps some grasses and flower gardens. Not sure yet! Back of house: I am thinking we will put lattice up under the deck and I will grow confederate jasmine up it ... something evergreen. Then who knows. I have a lot of space to work with. =) Front with the beautiful dogwood!! I can not WAIT to see it in the spring!! THANK YOU -- really for all your ideas =)

Post your location as well since that can be of great help. Since your favorite forum is Texas Gardening we could assume that is where you are. The people at your local Texas Cooperative Extension Service office may be of more help. Here is a link that might be useful: Texas CES