The intrigue: Many responses advocated for a nontraditional, natural-looking lawn.
Kelly S: My husband and I recently turned over all but a small portion of our big lawn to dutch white clover and Michigan native ground covers, perennials, and shrubs. Once established, these plants require little to no maintenance to flourish, given the right location.
Thomas S: I gave up on grass and installed native plants, flowering bushes, annuals, and a number of small trees … If grass doesn't want to grow in your yard, why do you keep spending money, time and effort trying to beat Mother Nature? Give her a break and she will send birds.
BJ T: Embrace the natural look and perhaps enhance it slightly by trying to improve the mix of "weeds" so they look better. My lawn certainly isn't going to win any awards based on what most people think, but I personally think it looks great, like my own unique and varied micro-ecosystem.
The bottom line: I have more research to do before charting my course, but these readers make a convincing case.
