meadow

Herbal Lawns
Although an herbal lawn made of Yarrow (for sun) or Yerba Buena (for shade) has the same down-sides as any monoculture, it is more drought tolerant than a turfgrass lawn, and doesn’t require weekly mowing. You can occasionally walk on these plants, but regular foot traffic should be diverted to a path or stepping stones. Yarrow should be cut back after blooming. Armeria maritima (Sea Pink, photo at left) can be a showy and unusual “lawn”, as well.

Low growing, spreading ground covers
Here’s a way to cover a large expanse without a large expense, I think this is the least expensive strategy. Fast growing plants like Ceanothus ‘Yankee Point’ or Salvia ‘Bee’s Bliss’ can cover an 8 foot wide area within two years! This chokes out weeds and creates a large uniform planted area, that can contrast beautifully with taller accent plants.

Hardscape
Hardscape is the landscaping term for all the areas that aren’t soil and plants – the patios, decks, paths, walls, etc. May I put in a pitch for permeable hardscaping? Your drought tolerant garden will benefit if you can keep all of the water that falls on your property on-site. Instead of concrete, consider pervious concrete and pavers, decomposed granite, gravel and mulch.

Meadows
A meadow conjures images of a grassy field filled with wildflowers, and you can create that at home. Meadows require a different mind-set than a lawn, as they don’t look the same all year long. The seed heads sway in the breeze, flowers come and go, and there may be a dormant period. To get a meadow established you must control the competing weeds, including invasive European annuals like foxtail and wild oats and perennials like oxalis and Bermuda Grass. You should start by pre-germinating and then killing the weed sprouts, and then controlling them as they come back. Decide whether you want a bunch grass like Calamagrostis foliosa (Leafy Reed Grass) or Festuca californica (California Fescue), which would allow some flowers to be interplanted, or a mildly running grass like Festuca rubra (Red Fescue) or Carex pansa (Dune Sedge), which eventually chokes out the flowers and creates a more uniform appearance. Some grasses are available to plant from seed and others are only available by plugs or larger plants. Just recently, several mixtures of native meadow grasses have become available in sod form. Many of the valleys we currently inhabit were once meadows of deep-rooted perennial grasses, and it takes a bit of time to bring them back, so be patient and persistant!

Once you have decided to make the environmental switch to a lawn alternative, you are ready to think about how to remove that lawn. . .and that’s the subject of another article.

Deva Luna works for a sustainable landscape contractor, EarthCare Landscaping, in Cupertino, California, and loves to replace lawns with native plants.

White Dutch Clover Seed

White Dutch Clover Seed

White Dutch Clover designates a strain of white clover which is perennial. Used in lawns, as a ground cover, cover crop, for erosion control, and in pasture mixtures. Usually matures between 4 to 8 inches.
Many homeowners include White Dutch clover in their lawn seed mixture because clover sprouts fast and grows so dependably that it's a valuable aid in getting a new lawn started. Nodules on the roots fix nitrogen from the air. Actually, up to 1/3 the nitrogen your lawn needs can be obtained from white dutch clover! Grows vigorously even in poor clay subsoil around new home construction. If you want all the benefits of a cover crop but don't want to till early or mow, clover is your best bet.
Getting a good stand of white clover is a first and critical step to success with this high quality, persistent crop. Since white clover is usually grown with a cool season perennial grass (may be planted alone too), it is usually either seeded at the same time as the grass or seeded into an existing grass stand. Regardless of when it is seeded, certain principles and practices are important for success. These will be discussed below; however, readers should refer to state and local sources for specific recommendations for their area.
Soil Selection
White clover grows best in moist, well-drained, fertile soils. Because of its shallow root system, it does not grow well on dry soils. The shallow root system also limits production during hot, dry summer months.
Fertility
The most important investment in a fertility program is a soil test, which will indicate soil needs with regard to pH, phosphorus, and potassium. White clover yields better and stands last longer when grown on soils with a medium level of phosphorus and potassium. A pH of 6.0 - 6.5 is usually recommended for excellent yields and stand persistence. In some states, minor elements may also be recommended.
Fertilization with nitrogen is not recommended when seeding white clover into grass. Nitrogen will stimulate the grass, thus providing more competition for the white clover seedlings during establishment. This becomes even more of a problem when seeding white clover into established grass pastures. Increased grass competition from added nitrogen can result in death of white clover seedlings. In most states, application of nitrogen to established clover/grass mixtures is not recommended if white clover occupies 20% or more of the ground cover.

Least Hops Clover

"Our wee, gold-dusty flower, the yellow clover,
Which once in Parting for a time
That then seemed long,
Ere time for you was over."
Katharine Lee Bates
(1859-1929)




Trifolium dubium (formerly T. minus) goes by several common names, including Least Hops Clover, Small Hops Clover, Lesser Trefoil, Yellow Shamrock, & Kleiner Klee. The tiny flowers are said to resemble hops.

It is a very common mat-forming weed which erupts on roadsides & empty lots early in spring in recently disturbed soil or wherever grass, including wild meadow grasses, were chopped short at the end of the previoius year. It is only two to six inches tall, so tries to get a headstart on larger plants, germinating its previous year's seeds in January or February.

It can be the dominant weed or miniature wildflower in April. Though it may be still be blooming May through July, other plants will have grown so much as to hide it, & the early-spring mats will be overwhelmed by larger weeds & grasses. But it will still be seen until at least early July popping up in cleared gardening areas.

The first photo from April shows the matting hops clover in a mowed roadside. The second early July photo shows a single specimen popping up between ledge stones. It tends to die back & disappear in summer heat, but can persist until early autumn where water is plentiful.

It is easily mistaken for another common wildflower, Black Medick (Medicago lupulina, but Black Medic's wee yellow flowers turn into a cluster of tiny kidney-shaped black seeds, & its trifoil leaves have pointy tips. Black Medick's range is world-wide, & Least Hops Clover is only slightly less universal in its distribution. Both plants became distributed throughout the world at least a century ago, when sailing ships routinely picked up alfalfa bails from Eurasia & Central Asia to use as passing fill-in between more profitable shipments, then sold the bails to farmers in ports of the New World & Pacific Islands. Sundry knapweeds also spread throughout the world from this practice.

Like other clovers & legume family plants generally, Hops Clover helps bind nitrogen in poor soils. Though some people fight it as an unwanted weed, it is in reality doing the soil a good deed. Though adaptable to a wide range of conditions, it tends to die out of rich soils, & does not compete well with big perennials. But for the most part, it cannot be gotten rid of, so might as well be appreciated for the real charm of so many teency bright yellow flowers & miniature trifoil leaves.

While Hops Clover annoys people who want perfection in their lawns, others never even notice it is all over the place. It is too small to make a particularly big display. It is one of the smallest of clovers, though even at that, the tiny flowers are actually made up of about two-dozen even more wee florets. Seeds for Least Hops Clover are available from major seed providers, as it is sometimes planted intentionally to help improve poor soils. It is also believed by many to have been the original Irish Shamrock, & beloved for this reason.

santa barbara daisies

Armeria maritima ‘Pt. Arena’ “Sea Thrift” wishlist

Armeria maritima ‘Pt. Arena’
“Sea Thrift”

Simply delightful & simple to grow! Salt & wind tolerant our coastal “Sea Thrift” is also perfectly content to grow in CLAYISH & SANDY SOILS, as well as rich garden soil. Needing no Summer water at seaside, do provide some Summer water away from the ocean to keep it thriving. Narrow, evergreen grass-like leaves form neat & tidy tufts to 12” across, forming little mounds over time. Plenty of sweet 1.5” lavender-pink pom-poms appear throughout Spring on short 6”-8” stems leaving attractive spherical seed heads in their wake. Cut these back to the foliage for a second flush of bloom in Summer. Excellent choice for low maintenance edging, rock gardens & containers. Loved by bees & butterflies ! Cute as a cut flower!

Annie

“Blue-Eyed-Grass”

Sisyrinchium bellum ‘North Coast’

We are quite excited to offer this extra large flowered “Blue-Eyed-Grass” discovered near Gualala, California. Extremely EASY to grow, this native member of the Iris family is reliably perennial & self-sows to boot, so you can count on its cheery appearance each & every year! Creating a bunch-like tuft of grassy leaves to 8”tall, ‘North Coast’ is topped with 1”-1.5” starry purple-blue yellow eyed flowers in Spring. Performs well in dry as well as moist areas & TOLERATES SAND & CLAY. And it grows well under native oaks & works excellently on slopes, making it totally handy as well as delightful! Deciduous during the dry season with no Summer water. Foliage stays green with some Summer moisture. Hardy to 10-15°F.

Lampranthus stipulaceus

Tough, drought tolerant & groundcovering, with vibrant flowers! Though this robust plant is new to cultivation, we might have guessed at its winning combo of usefulness & prettiness. Its cousins are a winning bunch. Growing 2’ plus wide & 8”-1’ tall, it becomes slightly shrubby with age & forms a dense, weed suppressing mat of foliage with time. Blooms seem to come throughout the year. Leaves are finger-like & a pleasing grey-green.