In our Central Valley, spring through autumn seasons are generally getting hotter for longer periods of time and rainfall is fluctuating from year to year, with more years of drought likely. The populations of many birds and pollinators are struggling due to climate change and chemicals in our environment. While lawns are pretty, they require a significant amount of water and chemicals.
Because of these reasons, many gardeners are removing at least some of their lawns, replacing them with plants that are water-wise and/or native plants which require little to no pesticides and attract pollinators and birds by providing them with food and shelter.
While many people want to change their front yards to something that is more appropriate for our climate, it can be a daunting task. The UC Cooperative Extension Stanislaus County Master Gardeners will cover every aspect of how to convert your yard this March (2025). The class will cover soil, removal of lawn, importance of diversity in the garden, California native plants, watering systems, designing your garden, choosing your plants (we provide you with lots of suggestions!), and other resources.
When and why did you decide to replace your lawn?
“We started our project in July 2019. I wanted to try so many more plants, especially natives, but I didn't have the space. The grass was taking so much water. I made a deal with my hubby to leave the grass in the backyard and take out the grass in the front.”
Did you change the sprinklers to drip?
“Yes, all the sprinklers were changed to drip, and I would do it all over again except I think I would leave the water access to a sprinkler in the center that I could turn to drip.” They did most of the work themselves, but did hire out some work for a center patio with bench and edging along the driveway.
How did you decide what plants to choose?
“I was inspired not long after I moved to the Turlock area with the garden tours of homes with California natives. I was looking for a color palette of purple, yellow, white, and pink. I kept some of the original plants that were water wise, and added native plants.”
Have you noticed more wildlife?
“Yes! I definitely noticed more insects like bumblebees, tiny hover flies, carpenter bees, and dragonflies. I love having a Desert Willow Tree (Chilopsis linearis) because I can see birds sitting inside the tree. They seem to stay around longer because they explore the grasses and plants in and around the dry streambed, looking for food.”
Anything else you want to share?
“I've been challenged to find the right watering pattern, but our water use has gone down substantially. I also found that the mound we put in for the Desert Willow (by turning the sod we removed upside down) gave a little bit of afternoon shade to some other types of plants. Over the five years of this process, I have learned a lot about my garden, and as a Master Gardener, I continue to grow!
See you at a local class!
If you are interested in doing what Annie did by removing some of your lawn to change your garden to a more sustainable landscape that is appropriate for our area's climate, plus also help local wildlife, come to one of the library talks in March in the flyer below to get ideas and suggestions on how to begin!
Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020
