I really feel like I’m about to step into an opinion minefield in the present day. Deciding to do a clover garden in a single space of the property has been oddly polarizing. I’m not an skilled, so don’t use me as your sole level of analysis, however we did go for a clover garden as an alternative of conventional turf this time, and in the present day I’ll discuss why (and the way I really feel about it). I’ve needed clover eternally, however I used to be alone prior to now. So many specialists (each in particular person and on-line) suppose it’s a improbable new various to lawns, and different specialists within the discipline (LOL) say it can break your landscaping that you just’ve simply invested in. My typical method (on something) is to do a ton of analysis after which understand that, like all the pieces, it’s nuanced, is determined by quite a lot of issues, and lands someplace within the center. I additionally typically attempt to hearken to individuals with essentially the most real-world expertise in something, and but generally old-school people don’t wish to threat one thing new as a result of they’ve been educated to hate it. With clover, apparently, farmers used to find it irresistible, then “huge herbicide” demonized clover as a weed, and the remainder is historical past. 4 years in the past, throughout part 1, I proposed a clover garden after being closely influenced by commenters throughout our synthetic turf dialog in Arrowhead (which I don’t remorse for one second, btw – it completely made sense for the no-irrigation-allowed dry landscaping). Up right here in Oregon, I used to be met by “Clover as an alternative of grass? Are you nuts?” However I used to be uneducated (outdoors of web looking out) and outnumbered, so I didn’t battle for my clover garden. Grass it was. And pay attention, grass lawns thrive in Oregon, we now have quite a lot of rain, 8-9 months of the 12 months, and many individuals don’t irrigate in any respect. I really like our grass lawns, combined a bit naturally with clover, and completely imperfect. Final weekend we had six households over for a full day BBQ that went till 11 pm, the place 16 youngsters performed ghosts within the graveyard, gymnastics, soccer, frisbee, and soccer for HOURS. Grass is greatest for this. Does it take quite a lot of water in the summertime? Yep. However we invested in recommissioning our properly, which is what we irrigate with. May we now have finished a clover garden as an alternative? Possibly! However we just lately seeded clover by the paddock, and in the present day we’re discussing all of it. Maintain studying to test it out.
What’s The Beef With Actual Grass Lawns???
There’s a new motion that’s definitely in opposition to the normal garden. Like so many issues proper now, the loudest voices appear to be passionately in opposition to what most of us have deemed kinda regular, inflicting us to critically rethink all of it. From what I’ve researched and discovered, listed here are the factors that appear to make sense to me:
- Grass lawns are excessive upkeep (each day watering and weekly mowing).
- They create a monoculture (one species, not making a biodiverse atmosphere for bees and butterflies, and different native crops to thrive).
- They deplete sources (water).
- They’re typically handled with chemical substances (fertilizers and herbicides – glyphosate from Roundup are seen to be universally referred to as AWFUL and probably one of many worst demons to our surroundings and our our bodies).
Oh, however then there’s the “no-lawn” motion, which is a mixture of pea gravel, DG, and low-drought shrubs, which might look nice in a entrance yard, however doesn’t make sense for lots of households. Clover garden versus a grass garden felt like an actual various. I’m certain in lots of areas, all of the above factors are very true (I’ve by no means been a “good inexperienced garden” particular person, I’m from rural Oregon). However, the vibe of most of the articles can typically be pretentious, as if these of us who desire a garden are only for “suburban present” – it’s not. For us, not less than, a lot life occurs on lawns with younger youngsters, and in Oregon, it thrives with out further water nearly year-round. It’s principally set it and overlook it. Or perhaps we’re simply fundamental 🙂
Let’s Go Clover Lawns!
The hype in the direction of having a clover garden is that this:
- Low upkeep as a result of it requires far much less water and mowing than grass.
- Eco-friendly, utilizing nitrogen that acts as a pure fertilizer within the soil.
- Attracts and feeds pollinators like bees and different helpful bugs.
- It’s tender, cool, and fairly! I really like the look of clover. Actually, I really like the look of clover combined with grass (so sue me). And in sizzling summers it’s means cooler on toes 🙂
- It’s evergreen or semi-evergreen. 12 months-round with out irrigation for essentially the most half – it’d go dormant in August, however in any other case requires little or no as soon as established.
- Tremendous low-cost – as soon as the soil is prepped, it’s simply seeds, which could be underneath $50.
The Cons Of Clover:
This appears to be extra anecdotal, however each a historically educated former landscaper of ours and our trusted upkeep man, Domingo (who has been caring for Oregon yards for 30 years), each painted a possible horror image of deliberately utilizing clover. They claimed clover lawns will take over all the pieces – lawns, backyard beds, and would choke out fairly shrubs and annuals. And when you’ve two specialists with a long time of several types of expertise warning you to not do one thing, you pay attention, proper? However what in the event that they care about lawns in a means that I don’t? We like a extra pure, rustic vibe. I don’t thoughts clover combined in with our turf – the truth is, I LIKE IT. We like overgrown and wild. We do NOT like manicured (I even hate after they edge the garden, TBH). On the similar time, we planted these beautiful beds filled with perennials that have to thrive!
P.S. That is our new space that I actually don’t wish to get ruined, and you may see the clover within the again simply beginning to develop.
Stage 2 Landscaping – We Went With A Clover Garden (However Not At First)
As you realize for stage 2 of our landscaping, we employed Dennis’ 7 Dees to revamp the realm underneath the previous sport court docket and to make the realm by the barn and paddock merely higher (and really couldn’t have been happier). Eric despatched via the design plan beneath:
We liked the unique plan – a mixture of flagstone, bushes, shrubs, and perennials. However the $$$ numbers have been increased than we needed, and Brian and I panicked. We shortly prioritized our funds and deprioritized the realm on the high, alongside the break up rail fence by the barn. It simply wasn’t that necessary to us. Positive, we didn’t need it to appear to be rubbish, however that space in and of itself was going to value $40k – demo, irrigation, a ton of stonework, planting, bushes, shrubs, lighting, and so on. Right here’s what that space seemed like earlier than:
Each winter it was inexperienced, wild, and filled with weeds (which we didn’t thoughts, TBH), and each summer season it was so dry and ugly (which we did thoughts). However this space is extra utility – it’s the place Brian wheelbarrows the meals to the animals, and children stand on the fence to feed the animals. It didn’t should be fairly, simply higher than it was.
May this be the clover alternative I’ve been ready for?? So this time I relied closely on Dennis’ 7 Dees to assist us make our clover resolution. They confirmed all the above and gave us much more perception.
- Clover modifications all year long—lush and blooming in spring, thinner in summer season, then rebounding in fall. (Superb by me!)
- They confirmed it wants reseeding each 2–3 years to remain dense (Simple! Particularly since they’re additionally our upkeep workforce, in order that they’ll keep on high of this) – P.S. Extra if there may be harsh climate.
- Much less very best for heavy play zones with out occasional mowing (true, which is why we additionally love having a standard turf garden for youths to play).
- Upkeep in Oregon is low:
- Watering: Wants solely occasional water in dry spells after it’s established.
- Mowing: Non-compulsory—some mow each few weeks to handle blooms, others let it develop freely with minimal mowing (that’s us!).
DONE. We have been into it. Let’s avoid wasting dough, make our yard look extra pure, and feed these bees and soil on the similar time.
The Course of And What We Selected:
Eric and Dennis’ 7 Dees got here again with this particular advice (as a result of they’re execs): “PT 755 Fleur de Garden, a premium eco-lawn seed mix that features micro-clover and a mixture of flowering, low-growing species. It’s designed to be drought-tolerant, pollinator-friendly, and tender underfoot—good for areas the place a standard garden may not make sense”. Sounded GREAT to me. This entire space value $3k, whereas the unique plan was clearly a lot rather more.
Since we have been hiring out for this, they did it professionally – demoing out the garden, bringing in new/higher soil, leveling all of it for draining, soil, then ready for spring to unfold the seed. No irrigation. Our job could be to mist it each day for 10 minutes when it didn’t rain to determine the seeds (which was exhausting to recollect, TBH). Right here’s what it seems like 3 months in:
I LOVE IT. It makes me so pleased. That is most likely as a result of I’m from rural Oregon and it simply jogs my memory of my childhood. Right here are some things to remember from the specialists:
Upkeep in Oregon:
- Watering: Wants solely occasional irrigation in dry spells after it’s established.
- Mowing: Non-compulsory—some mow each few weeks to handle blooms, others let it develop freely with minimal mowing
- Reseeding: Count on to overseed each couple of years, particularly after excessive foot visitors or harsh climate.
Seasonal Care Rhythm:
- Spring: Let it bloom and thrive with seasonal rains, mow down and permit grassier look to develop.
- Summer time: drought tolerant clover will take over to compensate for garden dieback. Irrigated as desired.
- Fall: With rain, it fills again in like a tender inexperienced carpet garden look.
- Winter: It could skinny or get mucky, however bounces again in spring.
Why Dennis’ 7 Dees Recommends It In Sure Tasks:
“Clover and eco lawns aren’t a one-size-fits-all answer, however they’re an important choice for giant, low-traffic areas the place sustainability and ease matter. We’re at all times in search of methods to scale back inputs (water, fertilizer, labor) and help pollinators—this alternative checks all these bins whereas nonetheless feeling lovely and considerate. It’s a ‘Design with nature, not in opposition to it’ method.”
In case you aren’t finished speaking about clover but, right here is extra from our present account supervisor, Emily Smiley (how nice is her title??):
“The good clover debate is actual. Garden purists say it’s weedy and wild; environmentalists say lawns are outdated, interval. I say: know your targets and select what serves your house greatest. Generally that’s a manicured garden. Generally it’s a pollinator meadow. And generally, it’s a patch of clover that prices a fraction of conventional landscaping and makes your yard really feel intentional. Clover isn’t good, however neither is turf. As a panorama designer and gardener, I consider in designing with nature; not in opposition to it. This particular alternative softens the house, helps Pure Pollinators(!!) and reduces our environmental footprint with out giving up on aesthetic magnificence.”
“This isn’t a turf alternative—it’s a real eco-lawn that works with the seasons, not in opposition to them.”
So How Do We Really feel About It?
I couldn’t be happier. BIG FAN. In some locations, it’s taller? Different locations it’s extra like floor cowl. I really like the way it seems tender and pure, shiny inexperienced, and straightforward. Imperfect, wild, however not uncontrolled, and simply so applicable for our house. It’s taking on the boxwood a bit, which we are able to’t inform if we care about (we put in these shrubs after the clover as a ball barrier), so we would carve out a moat round these crops with mulch. Simple repair. All in all, we find it irresistible. Now, if we may simply plant it in that brown paddock, with out the alpacas and pigs consuming it earlier than it may develop (which might by no means occur – such pigs!).
*Images by Kaitlin Inexperienced
