Many green thumbs are going back to the basics.
An increasing number of people are turning their traditional, well-manicured green lawns into something more unusual.
The naturalization movement is edging into the region, with more people opting to foster local flora in their yard. The movement has already sparked debate in an Edmonton meeting, where councillors debated what to do with the yards that some consider unsightly.
Natural yards are host to plants, grasses, trees and shrubs that are local to the area and are intentionally planted and planned. The plots are maintained like any other yard and still have to be rid of invasive species, such as weeds.
“It all takes maintenance,” Michael Clark, owner of Clark Ecoscience and Sustainability, said. “There are always weeds and invasive species. They’re never going away. That’s always the same kind of work that’s always been there.”
Clarke has spent the last 10 years transforming private and public land in the Edmonton region into more eco-friendly spaces. He is driven by his desire to help people reduce their carbon footprint and prevent climate change.
By planting species native to the region Clark says that it is possible to eliminate the need to water or use pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers.
“If you use the natives, they don’t need to be watered,” Clark said. “If you use the right natives in the right spots, you are not going to have to mow them either.”
Although removing pesticides and herbicides from the lawn care routine can create a bit more maintenance, Clark says that it is worth the work.
“You’re going to be making sure you are giving your kids the best future possible,” Clarke said.
Reducing the amount of fertilizers and water use is just one of the many reasons St. Albert local Shirley Brown decided to opt for a more natural yard.
In 1993 when she and her husband Larry were redoing their home they decided to scrap their traditional turf and start from scratch. What they came up with was a yard full of perennials and shrubs that require no watering.
“We just liked the look of natural,” Brown said. “We got a lot of positive reaction. They all seemed to really like it.”
Despite some public pushback to more unique lots, the Browns say they have had almost no negative feedback to their distinctive yard.
To replace traditional fertilizers, the Browns will sometimes use compost they create in their yard to help support their sprouts.
Along with choosing native plants, water usage can also be minimized by collecting rainwater and utilizing it in the yard. Rainfall can be collected from the roof and funnelled down and used to water the plants to help reduce water waste. The technique helps relieve the city storm water system by reducing the volume of liquid passing through the city.
The reason native plants don’t need as much water as traditional lawns is because turf grass was brought over from western Europe, where the wet climate made the grass easy to grow. The North American climate is generally much drier than England, which means additional water must be brought in for lawns to flourish.
English landscape gardens were the first to feature traditional turf grass. The landscape was created and manicured to present an idealized view of nature, which included short, perfectly manicured lawns.
English gardens were first adopted by the wealthy aristocracy in England but the style soon spread through the United Kingdom.
As the style broadened, so did the function. Turf grasses started out as a romantic, idealistic strolling ground and evolved to become a hub of activity where wealthy aristocrats played badminton and soccer.
When wealthy Western Europeans migrated to North America, some did not want to give up their lawn culture. Colonists began to replicate lawns and many spaces in New England featured the tightly trimmed turf.
The native grasses in North America were perceived as inferior and when new Europeans arrived they were encouraged to bring seed to replace the local broom straw, wild rye and marsh grass.
The invention of the push lawnmower allowed for the turf grass to spread, as the middle class now had access to the means to take care of their yards in a timely manner. By the 1930s, the modern, suburban front yard became the standard. In order to keep the plots maintained, an increased amount of herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers and water were used.
Now many environmentally conscious, green thumbs want to get back to the basics.
Jim Hole, owner of the Enjoy Centre and Hole’s Greenhouses, says native willow, dwarf birch and hazelnut shrubs are all natural residents of the eco-region but adds that sometimes introduced species fair better than native flora.
“The whole idea of the native is good in theory but in reality it’s much more complicated than it first appears,” Hole said.
Many native plants bring their own problems. Hole says the lodgepole pine, Alberta’s provincial tree, is home to some of the worst bug problems.
Hole says plants from outside the region may also be a better choice when trying to reduce water usage.
“We’re in a transition zone,” Hole said. “We are not in the extremely dry zone of North America but we are dry. There are plenty of plants from really dry regions that will do a little better. There are certainly plants from outside the region that do extraordinary well here.”
Another hurdle to setting up a native yard is that seed is hard to come by. Hole suggests going out to uncultivated areas and harvesting the seed from naturally growing native plants.
Although once the seeds are planted, Hole warns not to get discouraged if plots don’t turn out as planned.
“One rule to keep in mind is say you try it and don’t like it, there is no reason why you can’t change it,” said Hole. Its not like it’s there forever.”
The best way to get started is to try it a small patch at a time, Hole says.
“Try a spot where it’s manageable and it’s not too big,” Hole said. “If you tackle that spot and find it acceptable maybe you want to expand it. Just take it one step at a time.”
