Less Lawn, More Life in 2024
This blog is written for anyone who has ever thought they would like to start a pollinator garden, but has never managed to actually get one going. 2024 is your year!
I’m writing this now, because now is the time to start planning so you won’t be surprised by spring and let another year go by without planting your garden. Sketch out your ideas in a notebook, make plant lists, walk around your yard and figure out where you’re going to make your garden! It won’t take that much time, and it’ll keep you thinking warm thoughts as we make our way through January and February.
A key theme at Blooming ‘burbs is that more modern and appropriate suburban landscaping means Less Lawn, More Life. But this means that people who have never gardened before will actually have to tear out lawn and, starting from scratch, replace it with plants.
I’ve learned over the years that suburbanites can feel anxious about turning more of their lawn into gardens. Perhaps they think:
They don’t know anything about plants or gardening and that they’ll kill the plants,
They don’t know anything about garden design and they’ll make an unsightly mess,
It will take too much time,
It will be expensive.
But, you really don’t need to know much or spend much to get started, and you especially don’t need to know much to plant a pollinator garden, which I believe should be a part of every suburban landscape. Our insect friends need us now more than ever (and vice versa).
First, the encouragement
I believe that most of us are already built to garden because we’re built to care about things. We care about our families, for example, and we think about ways to create good environments for ourselves and our loved ones. We’re built to learn as we go, and to learn from each other and our surroundings. Those same things that we all do every day mean you’ve already got the soul of a gardener.
Because this is written for beginners, let’s start small. I really think that once you start, there will be no stopping you.
What plants to choose?
I’m going to give you two resources that will basically tell you which plants to use and how to plant them.
From Pollinator Partnership, use this ‘garden recipe card’ to plant a 3 foot by 6 foot area. This is a small area! Like they say on the card, if you want to plant more, just buy a few more plants. If you want to start small, this is the exactly the choice for you.
Click on the picture, which will open the 2-page PDF that gives you a bit more instruction.
For someone who is slightly more ambitious or who has a bigger area to plant, Blazing Star Gardens, based in Minnesota, has a large set of ready-made designs for different conditions. Got a shady site? They’ve got you covered: Short and Shady garden design. Got an area that can get pretty soggy? Try a rain garden. The owner used to do landscape design for municipalities and other organizations, so he knows what he’s talking about.
Here are some screenshots of the sunny pollinator garden. He gives you options for something more ‘naturalized’ in which the plants will spread…..
….or something more ‘traditional’ which would strike a good balance between a natural landscape and something more manicured looking, which might be a great option for people nervous about things looking too wild.
These two resources are more than enough to get you started.
A basic set of tools
The tools I use most:
Buying plants
I buy plants from lots of different places, including Blazing Star Gardens, which I linked to above. If you live in Okemos, we are so lucky to have these two nurseries in close proximity:
The people who run these places are extremely dedicated, passionate, and helpful.
Cost
It’s true that you will be spending some money to get started, but probably the most expensive thing on this page is the wheelbarrow. If you buy plugs, you will typically not spend more than $5-7 a plant. I think you should look at this as an investment…something that will not only provide you and your family enjoyment and learning opportunities for years to come, but also something that gives life to many other creatures. Moreover, many native plants will spread, so you can focus on starting small and then expanding your garden as the plants become healthier and more prolific.
I hope this is helpful! May you, your family, and your yard bloom in 2024!
