Fully invested in the no lawn movement, I’ve been slowly replacing my grass with “no-mow” fine fescue grasses that fall over when they grow long instead of standing up straight. They grow slowly and are meant to not be mowed most of the summer season, just a couple times in the spring and cut down low in the fall.
Between that and using shredded leaves as mulch in my flower beds or lasagna mulching to create a new flower bed, my neighbors definitely think I’m a bit off.
I got some crocus bulbs to plant in my lawn that I’m hoping work out. We have been adding clover seeds to bare spots, too, and we have a lot of wild strawberries (which I never get to eat because the birds get them first). I don’t care at all for perfectly manicured lawns. I don’t think my neighbours mind, though, since none of them have perfect lawns, either.
I once tried not mowing my lawn for a few months for the same reasons, and I ended up with a notice from the city, citing a municipal law that my grass and herbs can’t be taller than 30cm, and that I would receive a fine at the next offence.
Note that there is no own police in my city, and this is the result of a neighbour’s complaint.
The kind of grass I’m growing doesn’t get that high except a couple weeks in the spring when it’s going to seed. The rest of the time falls over and lays down, looking like a wind-swept meadow, so the overall height is no more than around 15cm. High enough that you couldn’t see my shoes, but it looks relatively well-kept.
Here’s some pictures of this kind of grass. It has some limitations on what kind of conditions it grows well in, but there are several different similar species that gives options.
There are also options to replace grass with other low ground cover plants like clover or thyme. And also definitely, you should work to change your local ordinances on pawn maintenance to be more eco-friendly.
I don’t mow my lawn.
Fully invested in the no lawn movement, I’ve been slowly replacing my grass with “no-mow” fine fescue grasses that fall over when they grow long instead of standing up straight. They grow slowly and are meant to not be mowed most of the summer season, just a couple times in the spring and cut down low in the fall.
Between that and using shredded leaves as mulch in my flower beds or lasagna mulching to create a new flower bed, my neighbors definitely think I’m a bit off.
I like this, we don’t mow often, and have 6 sheep that keep, not only the paddocks, but the back lawn short-ish
I got some crocus bulbs to plant in my lawn that I’m hoping work out. We have been adding clover seeds to bare spots, too, and we have a lot of wild strawberries (which I never get to eat because the birds get them first). I don’t care at all for perfectly manicured lawns. I don’t think my neighbours mind, though, since none of them have perfect lawns, either.
I once tried not mowing my lawn for a few months for the same reasons, and I ended up with a notice from the city, citing a municipal law that my grass and herbs can’t be taller than 30cm, and that I would receive a fine at the next offence.
Note that there is no own police in my city, and this is the result of a neighbour’s complaint.
The kind of grass I’m growing doesn’t get that high except a couple weeks in the spring when it’s going to seed. The rest of the time falls over and lays down, looking like a wind-swept meadow, so the overall height is no more than around 15cm. High enough that you couldn’t see my shoes, but it looks relatively well-kept.
Here’s some pictures of this kind of grass. It has some limitations on what kind of conditions it grows well in, but there are several different similar species that gives options.
https://www.prairienursery.com/resources-guides/no-mow-image-gallery/
There are also options to replace grass with other low ground cover plants like clover or thyme. And also definitely, you should work to change your local ordinances on pawn maintenance to be more eco-friendly.
Some folks in the state of Maryland, US accomplished getting their ordinances changed recently: https://www.wusa9.com/article/tech/science/environment/maryland-couple-fights-hoa-rules-on-grass-lawns/65-d87be2e2-a109-4b7d-99fa-7497b91c7347