The move back to Milwaukee is less than two weeks away. Boxes, to-do lists and thoughts are piling up. The Lawn Reduction Project is on my mind and frequently rotates to the top of the thought logjam.

How much work is this going to be? The decisions and coordination seem overwhelming. I have to start planning, and for me that means drawing. First, a drawing that shows the current, not so promising landscape: on 35 x 120′ lot, native plantings fill approximately 20 square feet (it’s not my fault, I didn’t know any better).

All of those squiggly white lines, those are non-natives. The lawn – and that is loosely defined as ‘low growing green stuff that needs to be mowed’ – is comprised of dandelions, plantain, creeping charlie and crab grass. It’s diverse.

Ok, that’s the situation. Now for some inspiration:
The book “Beautiful No Mow Yards” by Evelyn Hayden on Lawn Reform Coalition blog
Benjamin Vogt’s Prairie Garden on The Deep Middle
The Highline/Piet Oudolf
Saxon Holt photos on Gardening Gone Wild