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Rethinking Lawns: Fighting Climate Change with Native Plants

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By Monica McQuail, Willistown Conservation Trust Communications Specialist

Photos by Blake Goll, Willistown Conservation Trust Education Programs Manager

With the arrival of March, many of us are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Spring and everything the season brings: the feeling of the warm sun on our skin, the taste of moisture in the air, the smell of damp soil after a brief rain, the stunning views of leafy trees and emerging flowers, and of course, the sounds of chirping birds…drowned out by the incessant drone of lawn mowers and weed-whackers.

Transitioning to working from home has meant that many of us have learned the strange truth of suburban life; that it’s neither peaceful nor quiet. According to Audubon, “A typical gas-powered push mower emits 85 to 90 decibels for the operator (90-95 decibels for riding lawnmowers). This scares away the birds, leads to hearing loss and detracts from the peace offered by the outdoors.” Not only are lawn mowers a nuisance to humans, but noise pollution leads to stressed out wildlife, especially for smaller animals that spend more time hiding than eating due to loud sounds, and birds that have been found to lay fewer eggs in noisy areas.

But what if I told you that a quiet future without lawnmowers and weed-whackers is not only possible, but even attainable right now? And that this future is filled with butterflies and helps prevent climate change? The solution is simple: rethink your lawn.

Lawns are a contradiction. They are the most grown crop in the United States, yet they produce food that humans and wildlife cannot eat. They’re a staple of American suburban life, yet they were imported from England (the most prized grass in our country  –  Kentucky bluegrass  –  is native to Europe and the Middle East, not Kentucky). They give off a sense of ease and leisure, yet they require an inordinate amount of work, time and money to maintain. Their lush green color evokes life, yet they are ecological deadscapes.

Now let’s look at the numbers. American homeowners dump about 80 million pounds of pesticides into their lawns each year – that’s about 10 times more than farms use per acre.  According to the EPA, Americans spill more than 17 million gallons of fuel each year when refueling lawn equipment, polluting our air and groundwaters along with those pesticides. Mowers and weed-whackers burn 800 million gallons of gasoline per year, which contributes to the greenhouse gases that drive climate change. And we can’t forget water – 3 trillion gallons of which are used on lawns annually, a number that is especially shocking in the wake of the recent droughts and some of the deadliest wildfires our country has experienced. With 40 to 50 million acres of lawn to maintain (a number that equals the country’s national parks combined), Americans spend a whopping $105 billion on lawncare.

With the climate and extinction crisis looming, maintaining these biologically barren landscapes is no longer a sustainable option, no matter how small your lawn may be. We need to start adding hardy plants that sequester carbon to our landscaping. We need to support insects that pollinate 80% of all plants (and 90% of flowering plants). We need to think about our watersheds and select plants that have long root systems that can absorb excess water and prevent polluted runoff into our storm drains and streams. We need to select plants that support our ecosystem and provide a viable food web and shelter for all organisms. In short, we need to plant native species. Not only do native plants possess all these benefits listed, but they also require less water, little to no herbicides or pesticides, and best of all – no noisy lawn mowers.

So this spring, as you begin prepping your grassy green lawn for the upcoming season, consider revamping some or all of it into a beautiful natural oasis that attracts birds and butterflies and requires little maintenance once it is established.

This innovative gardening concept goes by many names, including “Wildscaping,” “Meadowscaping” and “Ecosystem Gardening,” and its main tenants are to garden sustainably, conserve our natural resources and create a habitat that benefits wildlife, according to conservationist and author Doug Tallamy. Tallamay is behind the Homegrown National Park Movement (www.homegrownnationalpark.org), which aims to turn half (that’s about 20 million acres) of all privately-owned green lawns in the United States into native plantings.

“Now, for the first time in its history, gardening has taken on a role that transcends the needs of the gardener. Like it or not, gardeners have become important players in the management of our nation’s wildlife. It is now within the power of individual gardeners to do something that we all dream of doing: to ‘make a difference.’ In this case, the ‘difference’ will be to the future of biodiversity, to the native plants and animals of North America and the ecosystems that sustain them,” says Tallamy in his book, “Bringing Nature Home.”

Lawns should not exist purely for “curb appeal.” They should provide joy, nourishment and life for all who inhabit them, from the Monarch caterpillar munching on milkweed and the goldfinch looking for seeds among some purple aster, to the child who stares with wonder at this incredible world. After all, if something is not eating your plants, then your garden is not part of the ecosystem.

What to plant for the birds:

  • Composite flowers, spruces, hemlocks and pine > House Finch, Purple Finch, Cassin’s finch, American Goldfinch, Lesser Goldfinch, Pine Siskin
  • Birches and sumacs > Black-Capped Chickadee, Carolina Chickadee, Mountain Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Juniper Titmouse, Oak Titmouse
  • Pines, hickories, oaks, cherries > Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Ladder-Backed Woodpecker, White-Headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker
  • Oaks and beeches > American Crow, Fish Crow, Northwestern Crow, Blue Jay, Carolina Scrub-Jay, Woodhouse Scrub-Jay, Florida Scrub-Jay
  • Sunflowers, elderberries, serviceberries > Northern Cardinal, Rose-Breasted Grosbeak, Black-Headed Grosbeak, Blue Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager, Western Tanager
  • blackberries and wild grasses > Dark-Eyed Junco, White-Throated Sparrow, White-Crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lark Sparrow
  • columbine, jewelweed, bee balm > Hummingbirds

What to plant for the butterflies:

  • Native oak trees, willows, birches, maples; goldenrod, milkweed and sunflowers > Butterflies and caterpillars

If you want to learn more about native plants, follow Willistown Conservation Trust @wctrust on social media, head to wctrust.org to find more educational content, or join us for our many stewardship-focused events!

Wildflowers at our Nature Preserves

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Across all of our preserves and properties, Willistown Conservation Trust boasts unique habitat supporting a wide variety of native wildflowers. Each place has distinct characteristics, creating different experiences and diverse species everywhere you go. You can find wildflowers in bloom at our preserves throughout the seasons, peaking in mid-summer during Wildflower Week. Spend time at each one to appreciate the full palette of our native wildflowers!

Rushton Woods Preserve is a great place to see a wide variety of wildflower species. The formal plantings and rain garden around the Rushton Conservation Center (RCC) are perfect inspiration for your own yard. Look especially during Wildflower Week for the purple coneflower, false sunflower, cutleaf coneflower, purple blazing star, and butterfly weed. Meadow strips also surround Rushton Farm, providing food and habitat for helpful insects, birds, and pollinators. These come to life in the summer and remain lush and colorful through the fall.

  • Hartman meadow
  • Hartman Meadow

Down the road at Kirkwood Preserve, over 80 acres of grasses and wildflowers provide key habitat for picky bird species that will only nest in these large, open areas. Vast drifts of milkweed and dogbane give way to goldenrod and ironweed as summer moves into autumn, but don’t overlook the native grasses, such as big bluestem and Indian grass, which provide beautiful color and texture. Climbing the trail to the top of the hill will give you an awesome vantage point to look out over all of the colors below.

At Ashbridge Preserve, a gas line right-of-way ensures that a large strip of land remains unforested. This right-of way actually provides great meadow habitat, with beautiful views across Ridley Creek. Most of the preserve is part of the floodplain wetland, so you will find wildflowers that grow in moist soil, such as soft rush and swamp hibiscus. If you follow the trail past the first creek crossing and through the woods, you will be rewarded when you re-emerge into the meadow and see mixes of goldenrod, joe pye weed, milkweed, and ironweed.

  • Ashbridge Meadow
  • Milkweed

If you need a break from the sun, follow our trails into the woods at the preserves; you can find shade-loving wildflower varieties too! The forest floor looks brilliant in the spring, when ephemerals such as toothwort, bloodroot, spring beauty, mayapple, trout lily, and trillium emerge. It explodes with color again in the fall, when masses of snakeroot, white wood aster, big leaf aster, and jumpseed bloom. You can find some of these species in the garden at the Trust office, a great place to look for inspiration for a native shade garden of your own. While you’re there, be sure to walk through Hartman Meadow to see the gorgeous mixes of milkweed, joe pye, coneflowers, mountain mint, spiderwort, bergamot, and more.

There is interest and inspiration to be had all around WCT’s preserves, farm, and gardens any time of year. Our native wildflowers not only look beautiful, but also provide the habitat and food necessary to ensure a healthy ecosystem. Stop by all of our preserves during Wildflower Week and beyond — I hope to see you there!

Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants

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Every time I walk into a nursery or big box store I feel a great temptation to purchase the prettiest plants. However, sometimes the prettiest plants and the ones that stand up to deer are not the best selections available for local pollinators and wildlife. Native plants support local species better than exotic ones because they have evolved in the ecosystems where we live. 

And while you will see bees and butterflies at non-native plants, these do not offer the same amount of nutritional content as their native alternatives. A blueberry is far more nutritious for a bird than a barberry. Birds have to eat more of the invasive species to get the same amount of benefits which in turn increases the spread of the invasive seeds in their poop.

With a little research and careful selection we can easily move away from invasive garden species to more beneficial native ones. Here’s a list to get started derived from the excellent book from the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, Native Alternatives to Invasive Species.

Invasive Shrub: Japanese Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

  • Escapes into the wild and invades forests where it pushes out native shrub species plus it is a vector for ticks.

Replace With: Witch Alder (Fothergilla gardenii), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus) or Bush honeysuckle (Diervilla lonicera)

  • Witch Alder
  • New Jersey Tea Plant
  • Bush Honeysuckle
  • Small shrub with rounded to mounding form
  • 3-5 ft tall and wide
  • Fuzzy white terminal flower clusters in early spring
  • Oval scalloped foliage
  • Orange to burgundy fall color
  • Mounding to spreading form.
  • 1-3 ft tall and 2-4 ft wide
  • Terminal white flower clusters in late spring and summer
  • Deep green foliage
  • Yellow autumn color
  • Small shrub with arching vase like form.
  • 2-4 ft tall and 3-5 ft wide
  • Yellow flowers all summer
  • Yellow to burgundy autumn color.
  • See it at the RCC by the front door!

Invasive Shrub: Butterfly Bush (Buddleja davidii)

  • Despite the name, butterfly bush only supports adult butterflies with its abundant nectar but fails to provide for all of the other stages of life.

Replace With: Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) or Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)

  • Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
  • Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)
  • Rounded, irregular form
  • 6-10 ft tall and wide
  • Attractive winter silhouette
  • Fuzzy white summertime flowers
  • Deep glossy green foliage
  • Yellow autumn color.
  • Upright to irregular form
  • 4-8 ft tall and wide
  • Tawny to chestnut-colored bark
  • Deep green quilted foliage
  • Spikes of sweet-scented white flowers in summer
  • Yellow autumn foliage color

Invasive Groundcover: Japanese Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis)

  • Aggressive spreader, easily escapes into adjacent natural areas.

Replace With: Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) or Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)

  • Allegheny spurge (Pachysandra procumbens)
  • Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
  • Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)
  • Dense, slow-spreading groundcover
  • Paddle-shaped evergreen leaves
  • Fuzzy spring flowers
  • Rich winter foliage
  • Not deer resistant!
  • Climbing vine with holdfasts
  • Palmate leaves with five leaflets
  • Smoky-blue berries on red stalks
  • Flaming autumn color
  • Deer resistant
  • Delicate blue star shaped spring flowers
  • Grass like foliage
  • Grows in dense, tufted clumps

Invasive Vine: Japanese Honeysuckle
(Lonicera japonica) 

  • Aggressive vine that will smother trees and shrubs.

Replace With: Trumpet Honeysuckle
(Lonicera sempervirens)

  • Well-behaved deciduous vine
  • Scarlet flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds
  • Small red berries
  • Gray-green leaves
  • Exfoliating winter bark

Invasive Grass: Chinese Silvergrass
(Miscanthus sinensis Anderss.)

  • very aggressive and deep rooted ornamental grass that is sold as sterile but tends to reproduce anyway.
  • A serious threat to meadows and natural grassy areas.

Replace With: Indiangrass
(Sorghastrum nutans)

  • Clumping grass with ascending, tufted foliage
  • Silky golden plumes
  • Red to russet autumn color

Invasive Grass: Fountain Grass
(Pennisetum)

  • Escapes into natural areas forming dense stands, prolific seeder spreads by wind.

Replace With: Pink Hair Grass
(Muhlenbergia capillaris)

  • Clumping grass with a rounded crown
  • Low tufts of arching blades
  • Airy red plumes
  • Russet to tawny autumn color

Planting in Fall

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A volunteer gardener at Rushton Farm this August. Photo by Jennifer Mathes

              Although fall is when most things begin to die back, there is no better time to put new life into the ground! It is obviously a beautiful season to get outside, but it also presents the perfect conditions for a young plant to thrive. Getting your planting done now will make both your and your plants’ lives a whole lot easier come next spring.

The most significant benefit of planting in the fall is the jump-start it gives plants to get their roots established. Because they are not battling the heat and drought of the summer, the plants are able to focus their energy on growing a strong root system. This gives them more time to gain strength before they emerge in the spring and take on the summer heat. In addition, the cooler autumn weather means less watering, and fewer hungry pests. There are also practical reasons to plant in the fall. Having just gone through the spring and summer, you know exactly what additions your garden may need, and when everything is busy next spring, you’ll be thrilled with the time you have saved.

Fall is a great time to add herbaceous perennials to your garden so that they are ready to emerge come spring, but it is an especially ideal time to plant trees and shrubs. These woody species depend on a strong root base, and require more time to get established, so getting them started now puts them at an advantage. Maples and oaks fare particularly well planted this time of year. Fall is also the time to plant spring blooming bulbs, as they need to go through winter in the ground in order to break their dormancy.

As always, we recommend using native plants in your yard for the benefit of our birds, pollinators, and other wildlife. Luckily, there are wonderful local nurseries nearby where you can find natives, such as Redbud, Mostardi, and Octararo. We also have a variety of resources on our website that explain the benefits of native plants and offer suggestions for which ones to use, including our recent virtual presentation on native plants in your landscape, and our Homeowner Resource Guide. And of course, you can always come out to visit our office and preserves for inspiration. Happy planting and enjoy the fall!

Bumble bee on Culver’s Root. Photo by Blake Goll/Staff

Fall Planting Tips:

  • It is best to plant once the weather is somewhat cooler, but plants will still need 4-6 weeks to get established before the ground freezes. Mid-September through the end of October is generally the best time to do your planting.
  • Dig your holes only as deep as the container the plant is in, and twice as wide. Loosen any tangled or circling roots by hand before placing the plant in the ground.
  • Bury your plants so that the root flare (where the roots start to spread from the trunk/stem) is just above ground level, and tamp the soil in firmly.
  • Adding mulch will help the soil hold moisture, and provide insulation for the roots over the winter (be sure not to pile mulch over the root flare).
  • With cooler fall temperatures, new plants won’t need quite as much water as they would in the summer, but it is still important for their establishment to keep them hydrated. Always thoroughly water in after planting, and as needed depending on the weather and soil moisture.
Native bee and Virginia cup plant. Photo by Jennifer Mathes

Create Your Own Meadow – Step 3: Preserve

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Early May – Early October: Once your wildflowers are planted, regularly inspect your meadow to ensure that invasive weeds are not colonizing the space. Hand pulling or cutting weeds below the height of native species should help to manage any invasives that may creep into your meadow.

Year Two and Beyond: Mow the entire meadow once a year in late March to early April to a height of about 6 inches — before the young wildflowers start pushing through the grass. Although some landscape professionals recommend mowing meadows in the fall as well, leaving plants unmowed over the winter provides important food and shelter for wildlife during the harsh winter months. Should you decide to mow a second time in the fall, wait until the year following installation to give the young wildflowers a chance to establish.

Wildflower plugs generally take three years to fully mature, so patience is required, but the result is well worth the wait!