Try a Yarrow Lawn
- To:
- Subject: Try a Yarrow Lawn
- From: L* C*
- Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 13:49:11 -0700
From: Laura Cooper <lcooper@artcenter.edu>
Date: Thursday, October 5, 2000 1:41 PM
To: <tamur@earthlink.net>, <medit-plants@ucdavis.net>
Subject: Re: lawn alternative
Hi Dana,
I'm in Southern California, but I don't see why this wouldn't work for you.
We had a yarrow "meadow" for many years. We planted the yarrow by seed,
Achillea millefolium, bought the seed from Theodore Payne Foundation. We're
now replacing it with gravel for various reasons (mainly esthetic changes)
but I would do it again if I needed a soft place for a toddler. It was soft
and ferny looking, held up to traffic (although not like a lawn would). The
trick is to grow it fairly thickly, like a turf, which also kind of
minituarizes it. It can be mowed. I know that a back issue of Pacific
Horticulture has a picture of the yarrow meadow at the Lummis House in Los
Angeles, designed by Bob Perry I believe.
We found that if we planted it in Fall it was harder to germinate, and had
much better luck broadcasting seed in early Spring. The hardest thing is
keeping it weed-free till established. Grass will take over if you let it.
Curious to see what others have to recommend!
Best of luck,
Laura
PS tried thyme and chamomile to no avail. OK between stepping stones but not
where it would have foot traffic condensing the soil.
--
Laura Cooper
> From: Dana Tamura <tamur@earthlink.net>
> Reply-To: tamur@earthlink.net
> Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2000 13:13:50 -0700
> To: mediterranean climate gardening e-mail forum for gardeners in these
> climates throughout the world <medit-plants@ucdavis.edu>
> Subject: lawn alternative
>
> I live in a suburban neighborhood 20 miles north of San Francisco,
> California. My front and back yards consist primarily of lawn. I
> really can't stand the water hungry things, but have never seen an
> alternative that can still be walked upon and has a similar low-grow
> look. I've heard of lots of alternatives but have never actually seen
> one in place that is used similarly to a lawn, to give that sense of
> green negative space to a landscape. Has anyone had experience
> replacing a hungry lawn with an alternative--successfully? Chamomille
> perhaps? I'd love to hear some true-life stories and see some pictures,
> or better yet see the real thing.
>
> Dana Tamura
>
>
