Westerly Sun Column | Some Books That Helped Us Re-Think Our Yard

Two years ago, I accidentally killed the grass in my front lawn. While my husband was away, I decided I would take the initiative to fertilize the grass. I thought surely more is better, right? No. More, in fact, is bad. Very bad. Weeks later, as we looked at our dead grass, I saw a bit of green popping through the abyss of death. It was a clover. If clover could survive this massacre, why not plant that instead of grass? That’s exactly what we did, and it ended up being gorgeous even if our neighbors thought it a bit strange.

Despite the unfortunate circumstances, the incident inspired us to rethink our yard. What is it really for? We decided to make it more pollinator- and native-friendly. Instead of doing vegetables, which has historically not worked out great, I planted wildflowers in our front raised bed. I also embraced the sunflowers growing in the middle of the yard because that’s where the seeds from last year's flowers had fallen. Along the way, I found inspiration in "Landscaping with Wildflowers" by Jim Wilson, which covers all types of wildflowers that you can plant, particularly native plants.

"Native Plant Gardening for Birds, Bees, and Butterflies" by Jaret C. Daniels reinforced the idea that gardens don’t have to be just for humans. They can be habitats, food sources, and safe havens for other creatures. "Tiny + Wild: Build a Small-Scale Meadow Anywhere" by Graham Laird Gardner is fantastic because it doesn’t require that you have an acre of land to make your yard more friendly for biodiversity or to just make it look gorgeously wild. Meadows can grow on rooftops, along your fences, and in containers. And here’s a real bonus: it’s also low maintenance because you don’t need to have constant upkeep and mowing if you decide to go with a more natural landscape. Wild just might be better!

What at first felt like a failure ended up being the beginning of a new outlook to how we would tend to our small yard. What does perfection really mean? We’re trying to create a space where bees, birds, butterflies, and flowers return year after year. Is it perfect? No. Is that okay? Most definitely yes. The yard might look a bit messier, but we are loving the journey! Next up? An owl house.

By Caroline Badowski, Head of Adult Services