What A Wonderful Organization!

They have been around for over 35 years but I just recently heard of them.  They are called The Wild Ones and they want to eliminate lawns in favor of native plants.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE, LOVE their mission:

Wild Ones: Native Plants, Natural Landscapes promotes environmentally sound landscaping practices to preserve biodiversity through the preservation, restoration and establishment of native plant communities. Wild Ones is a not-for-profit environmental education and advocacy organization.

 You can read about them here:

Wild Ones – Native Plants, Natural Landscapers

If you read my post about Front Yard Gardens, You know how I feel about the care and feeding of useless, bland lawns.

If your missed it you can read it here:

Front Yard Gardens

I think using the space to grow food is much more practical.  However, many people don’t have the time to tend a front yard (or any) vegetable garden.

There are even some people – gasp – who don’t like gardening at all!

A ‘lawn’ of native plants, unmowed and seeding themselves year after year is NO WORK AT ALL!

  No chemicals, no wasted water, no noisy mowing or trimming!

WONDERFUL!

Imagine if EVERYONE had native landscapes instead of lawns.  Can you imagine walking down a city or suburban street with tall prairie grasses and wildflowers on both sides of  you?  There would be butterflies, bees and birds busily doing their thing, being happy and healthy, enjoying the shelter these plants provide.  The roots of these plants go deep and filter storm run off, which means cleaner water again.

We have to stop thinking of these plants as weeds. 

My favorite flower!

We have to stop thinking of weeds as bad.

When I lived in IL, I used to take long walks through the neighborhood.  There was one very interesting house that was on a corner.  Almost every inch of the yard was native plants, except for a path or two mowed through the tall wildflowers and grass, and a small clearing for a table and chairs.  The yard had towering plants on each side of the sidewalk.  It was so different from the surrounding yards, startling at first but not ugly.  I am convinced after reading the Wild Ones website and list of members, that this house was owned by one of their members.

Something interesting would happen when I walked by this house.  It was alsmost like walking in a tunnel with the tall plants on both sides.  I am sure that if you were to blindfold me and lead me down the street, I would still know the exact moment I entered this space.

  IT FELT DIFFERENT!

It felt PEACEFUL.  It was quieter,  had a different ‘vibe’.  I swear to you, there was an energy I could FEEL.  I know it sounds like some crazy talk but insist it is TRUE.

We need these gardens.  We don’t need lawns.  We can do it!  Just start with a small patch of native plants and then take it from there. Every little bit will help heal the earth.

  WHAT A WONDERFUL IDEA!