Lawns: Native, Not at All, or What?

 

Lawn is a human-maintained construct that originated in Europe in the 1700s among wealthy landowners that could afford to have people manage the space. The concept persists today as something to emulate even though a lawn provides little practical purpose most of the time. In the native plant groups and in the organization for which I volunteer, the following questions come up fairly frequently:

• How to create a “native lawn” using something like buffalo grass.
• What to use as a substitute, such native groundcovers, that can handle kids and dogs.  

I don’t like either of those ideas and I’ll tell you why. 

• A large expanse of a single species doesn’t offer a lot of diversity; so even if you could grow a huge buffalo grass lawn that is all you have in that space (a monoculture that is only marginally better than some exotic turf grasses but certainly better than Bermuda grass).
• Using groundcovers for the kids to play on or the dogs to run and pee on is – in my opinion – going to be disappointing in the long run. Turf grass is the best living option for heavy use. Of course you could use mulch, but the question is always about groundcovers.

There are other considerations with those approaches too: can you source enough buffalo grass (Bouteloua dactyloides), a full sun, shortgrass prairie species with spreading rhizomes that is primarily native to the Midwest? If you choose a groundcover, it would need time to get its roots established before you let those fast-moving little feet on it. 

In southern Georgia, a grass like St. Augustine (Stenotaphrum secundatum) would be a better option than buffalo grass. It naturally grows on sandy beaches in coastal areas; it spreads via with aboveground stolons (runners).

What would I recommend if you need turf-like areas for HOA requirements or you need a surface for kids and dogs: use turf grass but use it in as limited fashion as possible (and avoid known invasive turf species like Bermuda). For HOA requirements, have as small a strip as possible. For kids and dogs, use it only in play areas. Everywhere else, use productive plants: native perennials, shrubs, groundcovers, trees, and vines that feed and support insects and birds. 

Since pictures convey concepts better than words, I found some examples. Wild Ones has commissioned a series of residential designs for areas around the country that you might use for inspiration. They don’t have Atlanta, but the drawing for Chattanooga, TN or Greensboro, NC (shown below) are similar to what Atlantans might do. The turf areas are minimal.

Wild Ones Greensboro, NC design by Preston Montague

Once you've made your turf needs as small as possible, I also recommend that you consider the following resource-saving tips in managing it: 

• Mow it as seldom as possible, using a non-gas-powered mower if you can. In the summer, I mow every 3-5 weeks depending on rainfall.
• Don't irrigate it after the first year. Save money, save water!
• Don't apply weed/feed chemicals on it. Save money, reduce chemicals!
• Allow small native plants to move in and share the space. My lawn currently has violets, wood rush, dwarf cinquefoil, and even small ferns in it. I can hand pull the occasional weed because the overall space is small enough to make it a 20-minute effort or less on a pretty day.
• Shrink it over time. As my trees have matured, the edges have become shady and turned into more moss than grass.

I hope some of these ideas will help you reach a good solution for your space. No need to fear turf grass; just make it work for you. The goal is more overall diversity in your landscape and minimal grass of any kind equals more native plants that support your local ecosystem.

Once the ferns get too big, I relocate them

By the way, my turf grass is Zoysia and it was installed in 2004. Here is a link to some useful ideas about native alternatives.