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The days of rely on perfectly manicure turfgrass lawns as a status symbolisation are on their way out . Instead , many householder are wrench to a Modern idea ( developed byDr . Lionel Smithin 2019 ) that ’s part of the born landscape trend .
Tapestry lawns are low - maintenance lawn that incorporate a diverseness of low - growing efflorescence recurrent plants . Many horticulturists see them closer to a aboriginal lawn . They engross water better than traditional lawns and draw pollinators . Aesthetically , thesegrass - alternative lawnsare colorful work of art that are sustainable and eco - friendly because they do n’t require fecundation or frequent mowing .
Photo: Solstice2015, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
What Is a Tapestry Lawn?
arras lawn , also make love as hayfield lawn , ground substance gardens , and patchwork lawns , integrate low - growing flowering industrial plant and skunk that can withstand foot traffic and mowing . Together , they make a tapestry — a woven matting — of various texture , colors , shades , and layers .
Considered anon - traditional lawn , a tapestry lawn is a low - upkeep alternative to the traditional turfgrass lawn . This blended interlacing uses aboriginal plants ( perennials ) that require less watering , fertilizing , and mowing — all while producing a colorful display of blooms from spring through autumn that support pollinator .
Creeping thymeandclover , plus chamomile and varieties of stonecrop are commonly used , although almost any low - growing aboriginal grass , flowering perennial , or native ground cover is suitable .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Benefits of a Tapestry Lawn
For the propagation raised on turfgrass lawns , a tapestry lawn can take some getting used to . There are legion benefit , however , which can make the changeover worthwhile .
get a tapis lawn can cut back the need to mow by up to two - thirds . It does n’t postulate aerating , weedkiller , pesticide , or fertiliser .
A native tapis lawn can immerse rainfall double as tight as traditional lawns . Because it provides a variety of flowers from spring through autumn , a tapis garden — or floral lawn — supports pollinatorsthroughout their lifetimes . In fact , it supports diverseness in wildlife through its mixture of plants , unlike the monoculture of traditional turfgrass .
Photo: istockphoto.com
Furthermore , a tapestry lawn typically is :
How to Plant a Tapestry Lawn
If you ’ve decided to replace your traditional turfgrass lawn with a more divers , eco - favorable , and colourful tapestry lawn , comply some introductory steps can help achieve the honest results .
1. Remove the old lawn.
Before you’re able to plant a new arras lawn , you have to murder the exist one . The sometime tried - and - true method acting of digging out turfgrass is tedious and tiring , but remains the best way of eliminating live grass and keep untested seedling from ask clench .
tack mulching can disembarrass the space of Mary Jane and weed — but it takes sentence . Alternate layers of cardboard and mulch and wait up to 6 months . You ’ll end up with great grease ready for the planting . Take take down that this method acting works intimately in warm weather condition .
2. Prepare the soil.
sizeable plants trust on good soil . Test your soilto find out what kind of amendment it needs . Check pH and forcible characteristics . It should n’t be too hard , sandy , or clumpy . The good dirt will drain well and be slightly uncouth . Add surface soil , compost , or other constitutional material as take . Then skim to even the grease and break up any bunch .
3. Choose your plants.
Select a variety of native plants ( or climate - adapted , noninvasive specie ) that share interchangeable light and water requisite and that can raise in your soil type . Select low - growing plant or ground cover plants that require slight to no mowing and are deer - resistant in areas where deer visit . debar aggressive hayfield plants .
Commonly chosen plant life include :
For shady area , try :
4. Plant them.
If you ’re planting seeds , spread them equally over the raked soil , follow the spacing recommendations on the packets . If you ’re using plant starts , dig a hole for each fireplug ( a small works ) and place them one by one in each gob , tamping down the ground around them . Spacing depends on the plant ’s typical spread . screening seeds or plants thinly with dirt mixed with compost .
5. Water the area.
After found either seed or plugs , lightly irrigate the sphere to wash the grease . For the first 2 to 3 weeks , you may want to water the orbit often to help the novel lawn get found . How much you ’ll require to water depends on the season , the temperature , the soil type , and the amount of rain . Be trusted not to overwater until soil is saturate because it can cause seedling to rot .
Tapestry Lawn Maintenance
One of the benefits of a tapis lawn is that it ’s low - sustentation once it ’s base . ab initio , it may want regular watering and weeding , and even a little fertiliser .
Once the tapestry lawn grows to about 6 inches high , it ’s clip to mow . Set your mower on its high-pitched stage setting ( propose for 3 to 4 inches ) or practice a string pruner for small areas . Leave the clippings on the lawnto serve as natural fertilizer .
You may not need to mow more than three or four times a class , and you should never need to irrigate , fertilise , or air once a tapestry lawn is established , except in utmost drought . bear weeding to be minimal once the plants sate in .
Our Best Advice for Beginner Gardeners
We ’ll serve you do up your first garden — whether that ’s a few pots on your patio , a raise bed , or an in - primer coat plot out back — and select the right plant for your soil and realm .
