3 Sustainable Lawn Alternatives (for Cold Climates)

It's no secret we're not huge lawn fans at Epic Gardening - I don't have one in my yard, @jacquesinthegarden doesn't in his, and Chris DOES have a lawn...that she created herself and that includes NO turf grass, while providing all of the traditional benefits of a lawn space. In this video she'll go over 3 different alternatives for those of you in colder climates.
IN THIS VIDEO
→ GardenStraw: growepic.co/3D6owIh
Available from many seed providers:
→ Buckwheat
→ Borage
→ Sweet alyssum
→ Winter field peas
→ Native wildflower seeds (buy from a local source)
→ Clover (Microclover, Red clover, Crimson clover, White Dutch clover)
→ Self heal
→ Chamomile
→ Yarrow
Perennial ground covers available from most garden centres:
→ Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina)
→ Mediterranean creeping thyme (Thymus longicaulis)
→ Creeping thyme, multiple species and varieties of Thymus praecox and Thymus serpyllum
→ Wooly thyme (Thymus praecox subs. britannicus)
→ Alpine Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)
→ Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans)
→ Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
→ Redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana)
→Wild ginger (Asarum canadense)
→ Bulbs: Crocus, Galanthus (snowdrops), Fritillaria, Narcissus (daffodil)
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Intro
01:08 - Benefits Of Covering The Ground
01:53 - 1. Cover Crop
03:43 - 2. Low-growing Perennials
07:13 - 3. Turfgrass Lawn Alternative
10:35 - Outro
DISCLAIMER
Epic Gardening occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors to help you find the best products to care for plants. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. More info on our process: www.epicgardening.com/disclai...

[@epicgardening]

Full list of all of Chris' lawn alternative suggestions: → GardenStraw: bit.ly/3O4XlS1 Available from many seed providers: → Buckwheat → Borage → Sweet alyssum → Winter field peas → Native wildflower seeds (buy from a local source) → Clover (Microclover, Red clover, Crimson clover, White Dutch clover) → Self heal → Chamomile → Yarrow Perennial ground covers available from most garden centres: → Lamb’s ear (Stachys byzantina) → Mediterranean creeping thyme (Thymus longicaulis) → Creeping thyme, multiple species and varieties of Thymus praecox and Thymus serpyllum → Wooly thyme (Thymus praecox subs. britannicus) → Alpine Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) → Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) → Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) → Redwood sorrel (Oxalis oregana) →Wild ginger (Asarum canadense) → Bulbs: Crocus, Galanthus (snowdrops), Fritillaria, Narcissus (daffodil)

[@rifleman42051]

Make a video on zero waste landscape.

[@peculiarstar5778]

if memory serves, when i grew chamomile it had a scent that drew flies. might want to start small with it.

[@DanceintheRaine666]

Thank you, I am IN VANCOUVER (or rather in the GVRD, the surrounding area), so it's GREAT to learn of another resource IN MY AREA, as decades of experience have reinforced the suggestion so kindly shared with me so long ago: LEARN what thrives (but is not overly invasive or pernicious) IN YOUR biome/microbiomes...thus TALK TO gardeners IN YOUR AREA, and ASK QUESTIONS, such that their SHARED KNOWLEDGE increases your own. I've met countless strangers who have been INCREDIBLY kind with their PRESCIOUS experiences/knowledge. Thanks for INTERwebs/Introducing me to this woman.

[@erinkendallbraun1459]

Chris + Epic Gardening - Thank you for this video. The "soft" creeping thyme at 4:13 is exactly what I am need for a project. Do you have any more information on the specific variety???

[@abigailsmith6977]

A lot of these are edible and medicinal as well!

[@marysue4729]

So inspirational! My back garden had a dying lawn choked by weeds, and after putting in raised beds I seeded the ground with clover. It's a carpet now, and the soil went from dusty dry to rich and healthy - I was super excited when I found my first worms in the dirt after a few years. And we get so many bees and butterflies.

[@HeatherMcKay]

Same! Clover has completely transformed my old clay soil and now it’s a haven for pollinators, butterflies and birds.

[@InHimAlone]

Us as well! I joke that our lawn is like a Disney movie with all the animal life enjoying the clover. So many more birds, bees, butterflies, rabbits. Now when the grass is going more dormant in the heat of summer the clover is still lush and green. AND... I discovered clover jelly. So good!

[@emeraldwaters7289]

@@InHimAlone Do u make your own clover jelly? From the clover in your yard?

[@InHimAlone]

@@emeraldwaters7289 Yes! It is very simple to do and there are many recipes online. It is a little tedious to pick all the flowers, but I have my kids help. We leave enough behind for the bees.

[@Ash060786]

Can I ask what clover you used? I have never been a fan of grass, and now that I own a house, I am hell bent on not wasting my money or time on any grass lol. I just bought some white clover seed to start. What was your success in applying the seed? Throw the seed, and then add top soil?

[@patiopermaculture3529]

I may or may not be responsible for giving my landlord a clover 🍀 problem

[@epicgardening]

😂

[@jujube2407]

You have no idea how badly I have wanted to seed bomb my rental with crimson clover! Lol

[@didthatreallyjust]

Clover is good for the lawn

[@jujube2407]

@@didthatreallyjust but not of it overtakes and you have a return my land to me the way you got it clause...

[@kblewis3331]

Priceless! I heard recently that in horticulture classes they are being taught that a "traditional" turf lawn with grasses is considered invasive.... I agree. And IF I ever have my own yard again (hopefully soon), I hope to eventually, slowly, but surely replace those invasive species with something more productive. Why spend time and energy growing stuff that is useless... Unless of course you have livestock that can graze it. I don't think too many HOA's would appreciate sheep or goats grazing lawns in their subdivisions. They probably wouldn't aprpeciate my changes either. Thus why I do not want to ever live where there is an HOA.

[@cvx2dog549]

I live in a small town and have been converting our backyard. The deer love it and for the past 8 years have decided to have their babies there. We are watching a pair of fawns graze now. They are welcomed here.

[@kathrynmettelka7216]

My husband, the non-gardener, once looked out at the yard and asked, "Didn't we use to have grass?" Not any more. Garden beds have replaced it, along with paths of pine bark nuggets. The flower beds get compost and mulch, so the soil improves every year. My new project is to place vegetables and herbs among flowering plants. The bees love the flowers and herb combinations. Did you know that daylilies were originally grown in China for food? Observe hot and sour soup for tiger lily buds.

[@michelepaccione8806]

Hostas are also grown as a food crop in Asia. The young shoots taste similar to asparagus, but I actually like them more than asparagus (and I love asparagus). I usually harvest about 1/3 of the shoots and let the rest of the plant grow. You can't tell anything was taken.

[@helenebennie3961]

Gotta love a husband like that! You're free to go wild.

[@Jreichh]

That's awesome! Take a trip to the woods and make some compost tea from the dried leaves and mycilium growing.

[@saal0]

You just know if we ever move some dumbass buyer will tile it all 🥲

[@donnabrooks1173]

I didn't know that they had them in China, but I aware that the rhizomes are edible.

[@tristinlovett9712]

We have a clover lawn and I absolutely love it. It always full of pollinators

[@justgivemethetruth]

> It always full of pollinators The downside of that is - don't run around outside in the yard barefoot! ;-)

[@herculesmclovin]

Hi, how has it been in terms of maintenance? I believe it's great! However what I'm interested most in, is if you get any unwanted plants aka weeds?

[@tristinlovett3815]

@@herculesmclovin It's very easy. I think we've mowed the grass 4 times since the spring. We did have a few spots were the clover didn't take as well and weeds were able to come up (we just spot seed them). But where it is nice and thick is only clover, it smothers out anything else. We don't water and our 'lawn' is nice and green all summer.

[@herculesmclovin]

@@tristinlovett3815 awh okay thanks ✨ :)

[@EdurtreG]

Wow. Pictures?

[@yenvo573]

I noticed more content that is outside of your region ( San Diego area)- so I appreciate the title letting us know it’s for cold climates. Do you have a video about lawn alternatives for warm and drought climates like San Diego ? Thanks!

[@epicgardening]

Not yet! I usually am a fan of mulch, chips, straw, or xeriscape

[@umiluv]

Look up the natives in the region. The native plants will do well in the type of soil and the weather once they are established.

[@joshuaarmbrust6918]

Plant grass not weeds don't make our neighborhoods look like crap

[@lisasagmiller156]

@@joshuaarmbrust6918 i am in CA. We don't get rain and I am only allowed to water on Sundays and Wednesdays. It is impossible to get grass to establish here if you dont already have it. Believe me, I would love grass but it is not gonna happen anytime soon.

[@jellyelfhomestead]

I second the native plant comment. We have some native grasses and sedges here in Mohave County that I'm planning to integrate, as well as some native flowers. Lawn is great for pathways or heavy traffic areas, but your pollinators will thank you if you basically turn your yard into a native meadow in places you don't frequently traverse. A bonus is that a lot of native plants have edible parts or have been used by indigenous peoples for medicinal use BONAP (Biota of North America Program) is a really good resource for finding native plants by county

[@kuiperbeltdropout8791]

My neighbor got sick of mowing so she planted 5 everbearing strawberry plants and let them run all over! Now she never has to mow again!!

[@legendarymudkip2096]

So glad you brought up native wildflowers! I live in Missouri and just recently found out that natural prairie and glade habitats are swiftly disappearing, and the insects and animals with them. Invasive species are VERY important to know, recognize, and remove, but you can of course use non-native plants that won't take over the space.

[@PandaD2]

We have a clover garden. It started by accident and then turned into a happy positive! We bought our home 4 years ago from someone who extensively sprayed pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers (like the rest of our neighbors still do). We stopped all that and moved around patches from hearty areas of the lawn to the barren and scorched areas. Let nature take its course and we now have the lushest, prettiest lawn full of white and red clover and tons of native "weeds". Our neighbors water their lawn, we don't, the lawns look pretty similar health-wise. :)

[@kellkatz]

Wondering if you have resources (blogs YT, books, etc) that you found helpful in your process? Or others could share too! I live in zone 7a & have lawn I'm converting but I have some challenges. If you or others have ideas for me/others that allow a gradual conversion - so appreciate! Congrats on your living carpet success!

[@PandaD2]

@@kellkatz If you have a local university or college that has an agricultural program, sometimes they have good resources or partner with counties to provide services, information, and education for residents. For us, it was more of a case of "we are getting a dog and don't want to use chemicals because our parents never used them so let's see what happens". I will say that it was a rough first 2 years and the lawn still has some less-than-lush areas where the clover hasn't taken over yet. It was a very intuitive process. When we created our garden, placed it in an area where the drainage was poor due to the previous owners using sand to fill in where they had an aboveground pool rather than fill dirt. The area had sunken in and eroded so we had to raise that up with top soil. Our town luckily gives that away for free so we just had to borrow a friend's truck. Then we expanded the garden past the sandy area and transplanted some of the patches of lawn where there was already clover into areas where crabgrass was taking over due to the lack of fertilizer. We tried seeding in some patchy areas, but did not have much luck. I think a lot of it is a wait-and-see approach. And time, lots of time. I hope that helps a little and good luck on your conversion!

[@jtarmstrong1234]

Our front lawn is the only one I can see on the block with a bunch of clover in it. I weeded out the front garden area, letting the sorrel take over the back section. The mallow and creeping charlie was getting to be a bit much, so we pulled most of it out to make room for pumpkins and put in a rock garden on one side. I'm trying to keep as many dandelions as I can, and let the local weeds have the bottom of the hedgerow (minus the climbing vine ones, don't want to suffocate the hedge bushes).

[@abigailsmith6977]

Plus, you can harvest the clover blossoms, dry them, and use them for tea! It is an extremely nutritious herb that contains lots of vitamins and minerals, and it helps fortify the nervous system and balance hormones. The taste isn’t bad, pretty mild. Win win!

[@critterjon4061]

Used to work for a prairie restoration company and can remember that even during the most severe droughts the prairies where always green and lush

[@DragonflyenAmber]

I love what Chris did with her lawn! I'm not a fan of 'traditional' lawns either and I wish folks would get away from the idea that their lawn must look perfect to be acceptable.

[@justgivemethetruth]

In their proper place I see nothing wrong with lawns. A good lawn is so comfortable to walk on and lie on ... but it does take water and fertilizer.

[@calvinbailey5315]

@@justgivemethetruth plus the constant mowing is a big down side. But less so, once mowers go electric and the grid is cleaned up

[@dporter-gage9907]

You are speaking my language. I have always wondered, who decided a plant was a weed? Undesirable? Thank you for sharing your knowledge and support of plants.

[@juliaf_]

We've got a clover lawn now and it's so much greener and prettier than grass. Our city also gets water from lake Ontario so we never have water shortages, and the groundwater and evaporated water goes back to the lake, so wasting water is much less of an issue for us

[@lp7931]

Loved this! Thank you for normalizing a mixed lawn! Over the past 4 years I have allowed my yard to fill in with grass, clover and dandelion.

[@sebastianlopez9433]

Chris is such a wonderful addition to the team, it's great to learn from someone that has a climate similar to mine

[@auntylinda7640]

Hi what is Chris 's max and min temperature and humidity? Xxx

[@pinkelephants1421]

Lawns are effectively 'deserts' in biodiversity terms so choosing the aforementioned approach in the video, means you're not only doing your bit for biodiversity, your also attracting more pollinators to the rest of your garden, especially the vege patch, & ensuring better cropping.

[@brettcameron101]

This video brought me so much joy. I love seeing lawns becoming more and more beautiful and natural. Thank you from Canada 🇨🇦

[@bhazleton]

I live in a neighborhood that seems to compete on who has the most perfect lawn. I hear lawnmowers going all day and evening here. I must say that it does look beautiful and it makes the neighborhood look elegant and it makes the houses look stately. However I think I may change my backyard. This is the time on the planet to start growing your own food and use water wisely.

[@terrafirma9328]

Just keep it in your fenced in backyard,. Out of sight out of mind. Less complaimts👍

[@StochasticGreen]

When I see perfectly manicured lawns I now just think boring!

[@swedishrainbow_garden7672]

There are a lot of ground covers that will stay low growing and will be lush and green year round. They require no mowing or little mowing and will still stay neat as a pin. Only edging is needed and your no mow "lawn" will soon be the envy of the neighborhood.

[@pieceaisa5046]

@@swedishrainbow_garden7672 any suggestions?

[@knyghtryder3599]

İ have been ripping up grass around our house patch by patch , i think if anyone complained I'd rather up my insurance and torch the place than maintain a short grass lawn Ugh the incessant drone of leaf blowers and gas lawnmowers it is insane The thoughts that come to my mind are not stately, but rather green puke , decadence , trashy , i was never a fan of short grass lawns even before i learned they were a waste

[@erlindacoligado8700]

Beautiful. This senior had to share my experience while living in Quebec. Both my back and front garden were invaded by grubs and my beautiful lawn turn into brown mess. Then the whole backyard was full of dandelions. Initially I was getting discouraged because they grow faster than my hard work of digging. It took me 3 years to finally get rid of those pesky dandelions. Now my neighbours call my front and back "Botanical Garden" as I planted perennial flowers. I have few veggies at the back but I concentrate more on flowers. Some even take pictures when they pass by. I'm in my garden most of the day watching bees, birds, monarch butterflies and few rabbits.

[@Jane-West]

Oh I know that is so beautiful!!❤❤❤

[@profitecturebydesign3646]

As a Landscape Architect, I'm LOVING this video... how about one for HOT climates? (I'm now in South Carolina, and lived in San Diego for 7 years...)

[@interestedobserver9352]

This is great information and very well presented. Traditional American lawns are highly overrated, extremely high maintenance and stressful to the environment. Glad to see people moving away from that and considering other options.

[@catherinedesilets8960]

Yes, now the problem is getting our city bylaws to accept lawn alternatives on the grass areas by the sidewalks in front of our homes

[@knyghtryder3599]

​@@catherinedesilets8960 yup that is the next great battle , city grass

[@scottfletcher1956]

Saw a comment down below, I’ll reiterate that same sentiment. I think it’s really awesome that the channels multi tasking in different climates. It’s so much more relevant to the audience. Ty guys!!! Maybe I’m giddy because I’m close to one of them!!!

[@robertcotrell9810]

Chris has a lush paradise going on. I love seeing all of those massive and colorful flower spikes! I can't wait to have some of my own in my garden.

[@ricebeansrockroll882]

Just make sure lupins are native to your area. They are classed as an invasive species in some countries and once you have them they are almost impossible to get rid off.

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

This is where the invasive properties of mint can be a huge benefit. In addition to the creeping thyme mentioned, I'd also recommend oregano and peppermint. Oregano spreads pretty fast and is used in a ton of recipes, so it's always useful to have around. Peppermint is one of the most hardy and aggressive mints, and also the most potent, which makes it good at repelling certain pests.

[@Lyaworski123]

My whole front lawn has been taken over by creeping thyme. At first we tried to fight it but now we like it.

[@Eryalb]

Planting invasive species is never a good idea...every area has native ground covers that can be used

[@SWCnetworkdr]

"...Peppermint is one of the most hardy and aggressive mints, and also the most potent..." Not to mention all those mojito's!

[@FrozEnbyWolf150]

@@Eryalb Funnily enough the native ground cover in this area is Creeping Charlie, often considered a weed, but it's a wild mint that is also edible, albeit on the very mild side.

[@Eryalb]

@@FrozEnbyWolf150 That's cool that it's a native one. I've just been learning a lot about how damaging invasive species are so when I hear mint I assume the worst

[@darrisnelson5223]

I used to seed about 3 of my 5 1/2 acres with a mix of red clover and creeping red fescue. They stay beautiful all year round and when they bloom it was a beautiful carpet of vivid green and red!💜

[@cathy3951]

Is red clover a perennial?

[@mamalovesthebeach437]

@@cathy3951 both reseeded yearly but I filled in every couple of years. I would recommend the lower growing perennial red clover not Crimson clover.

[@JLee-pc2vc]

I've never cared much about grass and choose to focus my attention on my garden beds I've been lazily seeding white Dutch clover into my fescue lawn in Virginia 7a the past two years because I've always liked white clover and thought it would be good for the pollinators. I now have a lush, beautiful green lawn with zero effort (no watering and no fertilizer ever) other than flinging some seeds out 2 springs in row. 🍀🍀🍀 There were a lot of great suggestions in this video! I'd never heard of some of these groundcovers and will be keeping an eye out for some of them in the future.

[@dwagner6]

Thanks for this. My backyard in 5b is semi-shaded under a huge 80 year old locust tree that we’d never want to get rid of - consequentially, our “lawn” is about half “weeds” that you mentioned. I always stress about the thought of how much work it would be to “fix” the yard, but I really like your more natural style and it’s given me some new ideas to chew on!

[@naturesfinest2408]

Some weeds are pretty. I saw a yard full of dandy lions and the small purple flowers i dont remember the name of. It was really pretty. I also say an abandoned golfing rangen with a huge field covered in yellow, super pretty. Honestly, you could get 1 to 2 east to care for plants for ground cover and let it be. Another option was soneone else i watched who looked at where the grass became dried and planted in islands. Stripping out the dry grass in a circles/oval shape and planting that way over years. Costing less money and eventually less maintenence. Another was moss. You can still walk on it but it does well in shaded areas.

[@qwanyin6423]

Ajuga is small purple 'weed' blooming April-June !

[@mckinleyt98]

I so appreciate Chris joining epic gardening!! Kevin has done an amazing job making his videos useful to as many people as possible but it’s nice that he realizes his expertise can’t cover everything, especially things that don’t apply to his area or specific interests. I’m really enjoying Chris’s videos!!

[@elenid7530]

Hey Epic Gardening! Could you do another video like this for warm/hot climates, maybe drought tolerate plants? Thanks, from Central California 💜

[@chrisbrownlov1]

I second this!! Drought tolerant, if possible even extreme weather change tolerant plants if they are a thing.

[@epicgardening]

Definitely

[@elenid7530]

@@epicgardening thank you!

[@whatiwouldbe13]

@@epicgardening I THIRD this! How about PHOENIX!!! sooooo hooooooottttttt

[@jem1009]

Agreed. We need this information now more then ever due to watering restrictions.

[@janu4380]

Great video, appreciating this since I live in colder climate! Also Chris is so clear at explaining and sharing information, as a non native speaker it’s easy to listen and understand her and her garden is gorgeous!

[@beckymoss8586]

I love this idea. During our drought that lasted a couple of years, here in the Northeast, most of my grass died because I refuse to waste water on grass. My yard was still quite green because the native plants in the soil took the place of the grass. They just needed the grass out of the way. It is beautiful and in the spring many native flowers bloom in a variety of colors. Also started adding straw to my veg garden and use ollas because of this channel. We are no longer in a drought but I enjoy saving on water and this is just a good practice to use always and it just looks really pretty.

[@RionPhotography]

Many of us have our own water supplies instead of relying on government to sell us water - water the lawn and it goes right back into the ground where it came from. No waste here. Maybe some of you just need a better method of getting water instead of adapting to poor government leadership in your area.

[@Eryalb]

Use native ground covers! In Florida we often use our native sunshine mimosa and frogfruit. Perennial peanut is sometimes used even though it's not native

[@artistlovepeace]

I love Chris' spots on your channel. She's very technical, clear and good at teaching.

[@c_hanley]

Living in North Vancouver myself, Chris’ insight is so very helpful. Our short growing season and brutal rain really makes it hard to relate to others who live in more forgiving climate zones. Love her stuff

[@grandenauto3214]

?????WTF ….. if you can’t grow in North Van. Give up gardening. Short growing season?? In who’s universe does north van have a short growing season?

[@c_hanley]

@@grandenauto3214 I have a north facing townhouse patio mostly shaded out by my building and trees with the mountains to the north. I get barely 4 hrs of full sun during peak summer because of it, so I for one have a short growing season. I’d love to grow dragonfruit and tropicals like EG, but I have to grow what works for my little area. Hence why I praise Chris for highlighting those options. I know the lucky ones do, but not everyone on the north shore has a south facing backyard garden with 10hrs of full sun. I would love a place like that, but I don’t have $2m, and I have to settle with what I have.

[@IngridCruz-sk1xd]

I have a north facing balcony and planters, our maple trees like this location and are growing really well on the balcony. We have hostas, brunneras and ferns that need shade. Ferns can come on multiple colours and sizes. There are great videos on shade gardens that might be helpful

[@rufia75]

Kevin, we need to get a tour Of Chris' entire garden sometime! Make a visit too! :D Vancouver is a fun city anyways!

[@shanaw3806]

Please!!!

[@trustno1starbuck]

Absolutely love Chris!!! Right around the time you started to add her, I started to give up on my favorite gardening channels because they were all west coast and I was like I need something for my area!!! Also 100% satisfied she included clover. I love clover lawns and here in the Midwest so many pump their lawns full of junk to get that neon green "perfect" lawn and I think that's ok for a small area but sad and destructive for large areas where clover wins out in my book for softness and the darker green color. It's so lovely and the wildlife loves it. I think it's fair to do part seeded lawn if you really desire that but if you have a large lawn you should be doing clover and allowing dandelions to exist in the spring. Thank you Chris!

[@ghendar]

I am a fan of grass lawns because I use the clippings in the garden as a mulch and for compost. Having said that, there are some sections of my lawn that I think would be better served by some kind of grass alternative ground cover. Thanks for the video

[@evanthompson3727]

She has such a pretty garden. I like the pops of purple and especially those giant flowers along the hedge.

[@farmkidstuckinthecity14]

I love watching people talk about their passions but especially gardening

[@HeatherMcKay]

Switching my lawn to clover a decade ago has changed everything for the better. I now love walking around barefoot, and doing yoga each morning on my clover lawn is magical. It’s definitely helped the quality of my soil.

[@curiouscat3384]

I've experimented with all kinds of lawn alternatives and have to say that I'm going back to turf for my front lawn. All of those recommendations create high maintenance gardens (lawns) that DO REQUIRE constant weeding, trimming, dividing, edging, mulching etc. Some of those plants wander and have to be edged. Many of them grow taller than 12" which is not allowed in my city. Yes, reduce the size of the lawn you have to mow every week but think ahead to long term maintenance.

[@MusingByMaria]

I’m literally in the midst of doing this! Patience is a virtue, because as fast as they say that ground cover is - it still takes awhile to fill in 😅 The whole lawn cycle (water to grow just to cut) was just not it for me.

[@rebeccah1292]

Us too! It makes me so bitter to take care of a plant that doesn't serve us. (grass)

[@RionPhotography]

Clover literally takes like ten minutes to turn your yard into a trailer park. 😂

[@kjrchannel1480]

In my area when it gets really hot my lawn area goes dormant. That includes all plants considered weeds after a while. It technically isn't bare ground. The roots are still holding the soil there. In the fall it greens up. Then in the spring the Dandelions provide a thick yellow carpet. I am sure some people hate that, but they are trained to think they are blemishes in lawns. The reality is most of the Dandelion seeds don't germinate. I have seen birds eat the seeds. I don't recommend Grape Hyacinth because it will spread by tiny seeds and tiny bulbs. I would suggest growing bulb flowers in pots to make redoing beds easier. I like tulips because they tend to stay put. I recently had some Chicory and some Amaranth varieties blow in. They ad diversity, but their height can be a problem in places. This year I had huge areas of tiny violet looking flowers all over in places. They look pretty until they turn into a brown mesh. Even if my area wasn't in a permadrought; I still would not waste water on a lawn.

[@seanmcdonnell6567]

It only took one season of working at a farming co-op to learn one solid lesson, natural practices are still the most effective. Everything you buy at the store is an upsell. We used all the same language and practices as this video here; cardboard sheeting, compost, sew, mulch, drench, and end of season, chop & drop.

[@Theultrazombiekiller]

I have a large backyard (about 14,000 sq ft) and fescue grass. I have a couple big live oaks and a pond as well. I bought my house about 5 years ago, and the grass was in okay shape, but also had quite a few patches, especially in the shade of the live oaks, and was a lot of work to maintain. 3 years ago, I just threw out a ton of clover seeds and creeping thyme seeds all over the back yard and used a compost roller to roll out composted cotton burrs to anchor the seeds down and fertilize a little. And OMG, it has been 3 seasons now, and my back yard is a lush flower field of about 50% lush fescue grass, and the other 50%, mixed in all over the place, a combo of the beautiful thyme and clover. It was a brilliant decision and it is my oasis now.

[@Chunk_Kelly]

Yes Chris! Those cover suggestions are great. It's nice having someone on the Epic Gardening team growing in a zone close to home. I'm in SE Alaska so similar climate just more rain here. As I slowly cover our entire yard in raised beds I'm adding clover and native wild flowers to the lawn anywhere it gets patchy. Eventually I'd love to have paths through creeping and lemon thyme.

[@jocelynsmyth6604]

That sounds really lovely :) I hope it turns out!

[@petekooshian5595]

I live in zone 6b and I LOVE wild violets! Those are all awesome options, thank you! Whenever I own my own space, I will slowly get rid of my regular lawn 😂

[@cathy3951]

Where can we get wild violets?

[@troyclayton]

Thanks! the lawn where I live is beautiful. I've identified 39 non-grass species in it. It's durable- never needs chemicals, water, frequent moving, and stands up to use. It blooms, often in large patches of color- where we skip mowing for a few times (we never need to mow more than every other week). Our lawn is an active biome that supports native species.

[@danbolton3180]

I have an acre on the edge of the Strait of Juan de Fuca that is an experimental nature habitat filled with wildflowers, wildlife, and weeds. There is always something going on from nature to see. The less I put my hand to the land the more activity there is from larger animals to tiny insects and everything in-between. My philosophy is I benefit from nature and nature benefits from me.

[@DanceintheRaine666]

THANK you for introducing we, your CREW, to yet another knowledgeable, delightful gardener: THIS ONE FROM MY AREA, which is so immediately applicable.

[@bobcharlie2337]

I have seen more houses in my area. That have tons of ground covered plants, or a mix of lawn and ground cover. It looks so good. So much color you can play with. So attractive.

[@enatp6448]

Yay! Vancouver!

[@leighannf.4730]

I'm in love with your Lupine!! 😍 And what a wealth of information. Thanks, Chris!

[@Greenthumb6a]

I’m so jealous of that lupine! So beautiful!

[@scr6279]

We've been trying to figure out what random stuff is growing in our yard and just by happy accident ended up with a pretty large patch of wild strawberries. We mowed over them once before finding out what they are, but they produced a bunch of flowers and berries already. They did grow up within our grass so I've been weeding the larger invasive ones, but now we want to make intentional areas of it among other native ground covers. The color of the strawberry leaves are nice and the bees loved the flowers.

[@Hippocampus0ingens]

It's so amazing to get gardening videos from my home city so I know the climate will work! Thanks Chris and Kevin!! Can't wait to see more

[@lynnwilhelm7928]

I want to thank you for adding "for cold climates" to your video title. I so often see gardeners here in North Carolina-- sharing plant lists they've found that will not work in our area. My goal when helping gardeners is to help them be successful and I hate for someone to lose interest when something fails simply because they didn't understand regional differences. As a novice gardener I used to read a lot of gardening books and magazines (not much internet then). It took me a while to figure out that I needed to find out where the author was gardening. And if I couldn't find their area, I learned to take their advice with a grain of salt. Imo all content creators really NEED to let their audience know where they are in the world. Thanks again.

[@melodychangmarlier5466]

Exactly what I need!!!! We don't have any traditional lawn anymore in our house but perennial plants. Now our new project is to add ground covers (instead of just woodchips) and beautify it. Thanks to Chris.

[@glendabanta4832]

I love watching this type of video. I live outside of Houston and am doing the opposite though. Getting rid of the water hogging flower beds and mulch that blows/washes away all the time. Letting native grass and wildflowers (lots and lots of blue bonnets) take over. The native grass needs very little water and much less mowing, no fertilizer or weed killer. The wildflowers mean we start mowing at least a couple months after our neighbors. Just look around and see what Mother Nature is doing and mimic that for your area and you'll save yourself a ton of work.

[@Nikki-mx5my]

This video is timed perfectly! Thanks for the ideas and the full list of plants Chris has suggested. My mom and I were just having a conversation about lawn alternatives. I feel that convincing folks about lawn alternatives can be a tough sell but if they realize they can also save money that can help I think.

[@WolfOfTheWild]

I am currrently trying to cover my small garden with bungle! I think it's going to take some majoy time,. but I love how it gets established, and the little purple flowers are amazing!

[@carybradley3968]

Thanks for this! This is exactly what we’re doing. We’re in early days and appreciate seeing what some time can bring. Thanks too for mentioning specific plant types. Grateful!

[@eric2500]

THANK YOU! I really appreciate the low growing perennials that grow in the North!

[@christineborgatti3760]

Love this. I added Clover to my front yard and it is looking so much healthier.

[@pozleo78]

One of my favorite episodes. I’ve started the ground cover process without doing any research, and I’m happy to see that I’m doing it right. Love me some violets for cover. Also discovered a salsify in my yard which I hope to spread around via its seeds. All about getting rid of the lawn and it’s trappings. 😊

[@juancarlosmontes]

Woah! She's a gem! Thanks for introducing us to her:) What a beautiful spirit she is.

[@lulubellz]

I love her yard! Goals!!

[@callmeswivelhips8229]

So the idea is to build your own mini ecosystem. Very cool! That sounds like so much more fun and interesting than simply trying to maintain "the perfect lawn".

[@IQzminus2]

I highly recommend Alpine strawberries as a ground cover. Very shallow roots so they work great growing together with many plants, even just a plant or 3 will quickly fill up a whole bed if its a variety with runners. Very very easy to grow, just in the beginning you need to water frequently while it is establishing their roots. But they are very hardy plants after that. And tend to on their own grow so densely that they quickly keep weeds out. Usually in the second season I don’t really do any weeding in my alpine strawberry beds anymore. And they are absolutely delicious. They are more fragile than strawberries and can’t really be sold commercially for this reason. So you have to grow them or go forging (if they grow in your climate) if you want to get to eat them. But they are really something special. It sort of similar to the taste of strawberries, but a lot more intensely flavoured, and not as sour as strawberries. And they have their own unique taste. I absolutely prefer their taste over strawberries

[@Carmen-ok]

What a great informative video, and the Lupins in the background!🔥🔥💛

[@pattithompson1395]

Thank you, Chris! i live in the same city, and i learn something every time you post!

[@carolyncarlon9870]

Loved this video! I’m a San Diego native…transplanted to Vermont. My favorite photo: cardboard covered yard. Because that’s the stage where I am with sporadic piles of wood chips. Thank you for letting me see the green light at the end of the tunnel! Carolyn/Vermont Cat Lady

[@EtsyDrama]

Thank you for cold weather videos! We are zone 4a so it really helps!

[@GarryRobertson]

This is full of great information. I live nearby (Surrey, BC) and am in the process of changing at least part of my backyard lawn to alternative plantings. For my grass lawns I always cut it at the highest setting so it survives very well in the summer, even when it hit 42c last year.

[@drewsample9610]

Part of what was my Lawn, and now serves as a garden path, is covered in Buttercups. On the edges of the path they are near a foot tall, however they have also formed a soft mat about an inch off the ground in the walkway. softer than grass, and the prolific yellow flowers on the larger plants on the margins are welcome as well. ~Asheville, NC

[@schnder1]

This is such a great topic. We moved into a home that is on undeveloped land. The yard looks like a beautiful meadow (the campsite of my dreams). I have since learned that many of the flowers and grasses are actually noxious weeds and invasive plants. I am planning on tackling the weeds and improving the soil. I would love for it to continue to look like a meadow. To support the wildlife, bees and butterflies that come through. Thank you for the great inspiration. I took notes!

[@dawndawn6946]

Great ideas! Thank you!

[@kfaulknerstudio]

I’m working on covering my bare areas with ajuga, lamb’s ears, clover, creeping thyme, camomile and yarrow. Thanks for the suggestions!

[@tony8074]

I love dandelions, their first blush is spring is always welcome.

[@edi9892]

A truely beautiful garden; lush and low maintenance. I love it!

[@micheleolson9914]

I love this idea, especially the less to mow part. My yard got over-run with dandelions, creeping Charlie & wild violets from the neighbor's yard that was unsold/unrented & overgrown for a few years. The bees love it but the neighbors, one is a retired grounds keeper and the other was a landscaper, both have sprayed and grass seeded parts of my yard next to theirs. I had a beautiful carpet of moss in one corner that was poisoned, ugh. I could never sustain this without first creating a hard border of sorts as a buffer zone, to preserve my neighbors love of a pristine grass lawn and my embracing a yard full of flowering weeds.

[@twobluestripes]

Take the tip of ordering native wildflowers for your area, and seed them too. Then make cute little signs for the edge of your lawn and label it a “native wildflower preserve”. You might even have a state wildflower foundation (like we have in California with Theodore Payne or also there are the butterfly preservation foundations, so you could do a “native pollinator preserve” and also plant some pollinator habitat plants in a planter or bed nearby), and you could get their logo on a sticker or a yard sign or something to show your support. Get fancy and make a tags for the names of the plants you have so neighbors walking by can take a pic if they like a bloom. Anyone would feel like an asshole seeding or spraying something like that!

[@micheleolson9914]

@@twobluestripes So funny you mention that, I'm planning to do a pollinator garden! My husband of 25 years died last year, and he was a lover of all things bugs, bees, butterflies and moths. We had perennial flowers as part of his visitation flowers and gave away flower seed packets too, so people could start their own flower patches in honor of him. I've got dozens of seed packets ready for when I get the area ready to direct sow. I'll definitely look for signs to put up, hoping they'll leave it alone. My back yard only borders four neighbors, no public viewing. Someday I'll get to plant the front yard too, with a mix of flowers and veggies. Less to mow! 💜 Bonus, I found my yard is in the Rusty Patch Bumblebee area, so I can apply for grants too.

[@mione3690]

Oooh. Living in the Netherlands, this has been very informative, thank you for posting this! I'll be looking into creeping thyme for my borders and my rock garden. And I'll definitely look into adding clover into my browning lawn ^^"

[@fatherofchickens7951]

I was like…oh cool EG was going to give me lawn alternatives! And then I saw “for cold climates” and squeed!🥰

[@animapulcra9205]

I would love to see a full year time lapse of this garden. Wonderful place. Greetings from 60.lat N.

[@jichengzhang7291]

I love this informative video on how to use different species of natural grasses and herbs for sustainable lawns. Very useful and inspirational ❤

[@sharonaumani8827]

6 years....Fantastic! I, too, transformed my yard. It is still a work in progress [always]. I am now hoping to convince my new neighbors to get rid of their weeds [with unbreathable plastic underneath!] and consider these beautiful alternatives instead of grass [and I could help with transplants :)].

[@420_9R8R]

This is the exact info I've been looking for, thank you for your hard work to bring this knowledge to us!!

[@suen5006]

Love this!! My yard is Northwest super shady and wet. The only things that grow are ferns, moss, and lots of mushrooms. I let the leaves and pine needles pile up and encourage the natural vegetation.

[@m.dilitto5488]

THANK YOU for covering this! I'm looking into alternatives for lawn as we get ready to break ground to build our house. If anyone else is doing similar work, your local universities do a great job of creating lists of native grasses and soil/light/moisture needs for each

[@1Lightdancer]

Love this - Chris always had such great informant!! My bit of front lawn has most of the 'mowables' which I love - plus some daisies. I'm always intrigued at the compliments I recent on my happy jumble of a yard!

[@ringailetervydiene5942]

I left my weeds alone, also seeded clover and lawn seeds into weed patch. The main thing was regular mowing on higher end of spectrum. That way the patch was high enough to keep itself shaded from sun but the stronger weeds did not have a chance to bulk up and shade out other seeds. I also wait on mowing when I see the weeds I like making seeds. Like when dandelions become white and fluffy in may, I wait for them to spread the seeds and mow after. It took me 4 years to go from bare dirt and rocks patch to green lawn. But this method makes sure I do not need any fertilisers or watering. The wild weeds are resilient and get back on their feet no matter what negligence. I also started this method in my farm where there are terrible weeds and clay soil. I keep it low by mowing and the second year the patch that is mowed looks much better (more like lawn) than the patch that is trimmed twice a year. Edit: this is in zone 4 and with climate on rainy side, except a dry as bone month here and there due to climate change.

[@kadripress1]

I loved this video! It's my favourite subject! Well done, Chris!

[@Sharkey1208]

I'm a fan of patchwork lawns. Taking different groundcovers/herbs/perennial&annual flowers to create a patchwork carpet for my lawn. Different textures and colors to make it stand out

[@sleepinglioness5754]

Ground covers is a real art. Would be great to have a video specifically on how to plan and plant them. Great video.

[@leonieharry2941]

I love to have a daisy lawn: they have always green tiny leaves and let the gras look lush, they have lovely blossoms and butterflies love it. And insects like them but not honeybees. So you can run barefoot on it relatively safe. Clover is full of bees when it is blooming. From the look, the safetyness and the lushness it bring I prefer daisy-lawn most. It is very dry-resistant too! It aways looks beautiful and well cared.

[@katieclemm6875]

Thanks for including us cold climate people!

[@dasandbox2555]

I really enjoyed this. My neighbors have these perfectly manicured lawns and stone lined flower beds, and although pretty, they are just not me. I wanted something a little more natural within the confines of an hoa of course. This gives me so much inspiration 😊😊😊

[@sallyphu5450]

I'm in Minnesota and really enjoyed learning from Chris. Thank you for this information video

[@itatane]

Another benefit to a lot of the traditional turf grass weeds: most of them are edible and/or medicinal). Prunella, Dandelion, English Daisies, Yarrow, Chickweed, Gill Over the Ground, Plantain, Cheeses, etc... All wonderful. A heads up to folks who like clover lawns (as I do): Watch out for buttercups and hawkweed. Buttercups will drive legumes from a yard over time, and hawkweed, although pretty, is allelopathic, suppressing anything that isn't it.

[@jtarmstrong1234]

I have some hawkweed growing in the "weed garden." Any tips to get rid of it without an herbicide? We have buttercups in the back yard, but I don't plan on putting anything back there except maybe a blueberry bush and some pumpkins (one spot is shady, other spot gets sun).