Beautiful No-Mow Yards is just what American gardeners need. And you can win it right here

In the last year or so, we're hearing that there are better uses for our land than turfgrass, that unless it's needed for sport or play, you can save on resources and probably your labor, too, by switching to an array of alternatives - meadows, vegetable gardens, native grasse, and so on. 

All good!  Well, mostly good - because that well-intentioned advice isn't easy to actually implement, without a LOT more information.  Which groundcovers? Which native grasses - and native to where, anyway?  How much do the alternatives cost, can they be walked on, and how much work does it really take to maintain them?

My mixed reviews of much of the lawn-free cheering has me wildly cheering the thoroughly researched and honestly reported definitive book about reducing or eliminating lawns by Evelyn Hadden.  Beautiful No-Mow Yards contains exactly the kind of info that's needed, and its gorgeous photographs (most by Evelyn and the wonderful Saxon Holt, too) are deeply inspirational to anyone looking to make their yards more interesting, more beautiful, and more wildlife-friendly.

Meet Evelyn

Readers of GardenRant are no strangers to this subject (see the many stories in our Lawn Reform category), but may not be familiar with the author.  Well, Evelyn is THE original lawn reformer, having written Shrink Your Lawn and created the Less Lawn website back in 2001.  She's a pioneer whose cause has caught on.

What's in Beautiful No-Mow Yards

• Photos and stories about gardens sunny and shady, flat and hilly, a "shockingly simple meadow garden", a "patio for pennies", rain gardens, edibles, ponds, terraces, hellstrips and more.
• "Smarter lawns" using fine fescue mixes, carexes, and other low-resource grass types, including where each type works best and what it takes to install and maintain them.
• Real gardeners and the truth about their attempts to replace their lawns, failures and all. 
• How-to chapters for killing the lawn, designing alternatives, and maintaining them.
• An illustrated guide to groundcovers by type.

Here's Evelyn's quick video introduction to the book.

Just one more photo from the book for now (more coming this afternoon, I hope), and a confession.  That's my garden on the cover!  And in the photo on the left, both by Saxon Holt.  (Though I suppose I should start saying "former garden," since I sold it three weeks ago. Sigh.)

Plus, I wrote the foreward, happy to help in any way I could because this book is soooo needed. 

So I feel like the proud aunt to Evelyn's baby. Her beautiful, superbly written baby.  Great job!

WIN THIS BOOK
Just leave a comment about lawns or alternatives thereto, and I'll choose one at random.  Entries close Friday at midnight Eastern.

Comments

[Justine V.]

I've been brainstorming ways to remove my lawn - so much time spent mowing for something so unattractive to look at. I need a reform, and this sounds like the perfect place to help my research!

[Mary W]

I thought that looked like your yard--I came to a talk you did at Behnke's last year. This looks like a great book, especially if it features yards in the mid-Atlantic.

[Morgan]

I've started switching my front lawn to a no grow lawn, but it really doesn't come even close to the beauty of those pictures!

[Katie D]

Would love this - been sheet mulching the grass/lawn in our 1/2 acre yard and (because of two lovely black walnut trees & their juglone) am somewhat at a loss on ideas...love the column here. You're always one of the first reads in the morning!

[kristin]

Eliminating the lawn is on our project list for summer 2012, so I would love to win this book!

[Kelly]

The less grass the better! I moved into a new-to-me house and before I even got around to painting, I killed all the half-dead grass in the front of the house.
This book would be a great inspiration to me, now that I am working on filling in that blank canvas.

[haven]

I am trying to convince my husband that we need to get rid of our lawn, but haven't found a replacement suitable to him. Need help!

[Vicki Ligenza]

I live downhill from everyone on several acres with lots of black walnut trees. I get my neighbors water run-off and any chemicals they use and weed seeds. The black walnut trees product toxins that limit what I can plant and many areas can get soggy. I have a seasonal run-off stream that cuts across my property too. It's a constant battle.

[Gina]

We are contemplating installing a no-mow yard in the front of our house. I would love to use this book as inspiration!

[John]

I have a large yard. Where the lawn removal is easy, I am almost finished and very pleased. Where the lawn removal is difficult I continue to fail and fail again. I'm not giving up, but it sure would help to read this book.

[Bradley]

We live in a 1920s section of hot Montgomery, AL with a shady yard that is alternately boggy and droughty. The previous owners tried and tried and tried for a turfgrass lawn, and I'm eager to undo their (unimpressive) efforts. I can't wait to study this book!

[Ann]

I am establishing a moss garden where lawn used to grow. It has taken a year but I am really loving it. And it is in a fairly sunny area.

[Susan]

I have been reducing the lawn ever since we moved to our house in the country 3 years ago, but it is so helpful to see and read about examples of how others have done it. I am also trying to use mostly natives with new plantings.

[Michelle]

My lawn is slowly becoming more arborist chips and veggie/flower beds, but I'm still looking for good lawn-like options for shady spots under my deciduous trees, since the moss that naturally grows there isn't tough enough to stand up to foot traffic (especially the dog's).

[Evelyn Hadden]

Hi, everyone, and thank you for your enthusiastic response to Beautiful No-Mow Yards! To answer a few of your questions about what it covers :

There’s a chapter on design inspiration for each of the following: shade gardens, living carpets, prairie and meadow gardens, patios, rain gardens, play areas, ponds, xeric gardens, stroll gardens, edible gardens, and smarter lawns. Part two of the book discusses how to get there: how to convert your lawn to a garden, elements of an eco-friendly garden, maintenance, and even making your lawn more eco-friendly. Part three presents 100 choice ground-layer plants, categorized by their general behavior to help you site and combine them successfully.

Not all the plants, designs, or strategies presented will work for everyone in the country, but I aimed to include enough information and discussion to help you make educated choices about what might work best for your site and your style of gardening.

And yes, I’m all about making it fun and not scary!

[Jen Rothmeyer (EmSun)]

I, also, would absolutely love this book. I bet I could convince my husband once I show him all the gorgeous photos. :)

[Deborah]

I would love a copy of this book! I hate to mow lawns, and would love to be able to dip into a book that offered alternatives. And the photos look beautiful!

[Karen M.]

I have succeeded in killing my lawn, now I just need help to make it look beautiful. I would love this book

[Brian]

3 years ago I began collecting cardboard to smother by 1/3 acre front yards grass. After 3 years, and a lot of cardboard, mulch and compost, my yard has been changed into individual garden patches that have seasonal color and takes about 1/4 as much water as my old lawn. My sister thinks I should charge admission!
Nice blog by the way. Brian

[Ellen]

I could sure use a great book like this ..
I am currently working on a no mow, lo maintenance area . The photos are gorgeous...

Ellen

[andy]

I have less grass each year but,I have more weeds that love the beds.

[Denise]

About 15 years ago I bought a house in Boulder and inherited the existing lawn alternative, a low-growing mix of clover, yarrow, bugleweed, thyme, and grasses. It was easy to maintain and an ever-changing feast for the senses, from a carpet of blue flowers in the spring, heavenly fragrances with every footstep all summer, to a tapestry of red, russet, green, and gold in the fall.

[Susan]

The less I have to cut, the better I like it! There's not much grass now and I'm encouraging moss in one area but alternatives for the remainder would be great

[Mary]

I often visit Olbrich Garden's meadow garden, and all their other garden areas, for inspiration and hope I will succeed at making my yard into all garden. This book would help take me from inspired to useful doable ideas.

[Kay]

My business has muhly grass in the front where some lawn used to be. It requires much less care, and looks beautiful - especially in the fall