Synopses & Reviews
A colorful guide covering the basics of replacing a traditional lawn with a wide variety of easy-care, no-mow, drought-tolerant, money-saving options that will appeal to today's busy, eco-conscious homeowner.Americans pour 300 million gallons of gas and 1 billion hours every year into mowing their lawns, not to mention 70 million pounds of pesticides and $40 billion for lawn upkeep. No Wonder the anti-lawn movement is thriving, as today's eco-conscious consumers realize that their traditional lawns are water-hogging, chemical-ridden, maintenance-intensive burdens. Lawn Gone!, from award-winning gardening blogger Pam Penick, is the first basic introduction to low-water, easy-care lawn alternatives for beginning gardeners, written in a friendly style with an approachable package. It covers all the available time-saving options: alternative grasses, ground cover plants, artificial turf, hardscaping, mulch, and more. In addition, it includes step-by-step lawn-removal methods, strategies for dealing with neighbors and homeowner associations, and how to minimize your lawn if you're not ready to go all the way.
About the Author
PAM PENICK is a landscape designer, garden writer, photographer, and award-winning blogger who has replaced many lawns in her lifetime, including her own. She is a contributor to
Garden Design,
Fine Gardening, and Martha Stewart’s blog
At Home in the Garden. Penick lives in Austin, Texas, and blogs at www.penick.net/digging.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Part ONE: Beyond the Lawn
1: Exploring the Possibilities
2: Grasses You’ll Never (or Seldom) Mow
3: Ground-Covering Plants
4: Small Perennials and Shrubs
5: Places to Walk, Places to Sit
6: Ponds, Pavilions, Play Spaces, and Other Fun Features
7: Downsizing the Lawn
Part TWO: Out with the Grass, In with a Garden
8: Lawn, Begone! The Pros, Cons, and How-Tos of Grass Removal
9: Designing and Installing Your Hardscape
10: Bed Preparation and Planting
11: Keeping It Alive: Ongoing Maintenance Tips
Part THREE: The Politics, Health, and Safety of Going Lawnless
12: Contending with HOAs and City Codes
13: Working with Skeptical Neighbors
14: Unwelcome Guests: Ticks, Deer, and Rodents
15: Fire-Resistant Landscaping
Regional Plant Recommendations
Northeast Southeast Coastal South Midwest Northern Plains
Southern Plains Mountain West Southwest Pacific Northwest
Northern California Southern California
Recommended Resources
Acknowledgments
Illustration and Photo Credits
Index