Growing an Herbal Lawn
Have you ever considered the logic of having a lawn? The truth is, nature doesn’t do monocrops. Top that off with growing a grass that needs lots of water and isn’t native to your area? No wonder many lawn owners spend so much time, chemicals, water, and resources maintaining their lawn. Personally, I’d rather have food and herbs growing all over my property. I have to balance my desires with the fact that I live with two boys, a dog, and a cat. They all love to romp around on the lawn, playing, running, and generally having some room to cavort. To meet all of our needs, for the last several years, I have been cultivating an herbal lawn. It may sound complex, but it is actually much easier than growing a regular lawn. Now is the perfect time to start!
Here is how I do it…
Every year in the late summer, I have herbs in my garden that go to seed. The weedier the better, I sprinkle them throughout my lawn and by the following year, I have small plants sprouting and growing. Although grass roots are dense and matted, these “weedy herbs” do a good job establishing themselves. There are many benefits to growing an herbal lawn. I have extra room to grow more herbs. My lawn supports the health and diversity of my garden, yard, and local ecosystem. The amazing diversity in my lawn supports my beehives, local insects, birds, squirrels, and other wildlife. My herbal lawn does well with less water and no chemicals. I enjoy wandering out into the lawn to graze on a few edible “weeds” or pick some to add to our salads, eggs, or other dishes. I love to watch the lawn evolve over time.
I marvel at how the herbs learn to adapt to mowing, blooming with very short stems. Yarrow is a great example of this, blooming with white flowers clustering on tiny stems. It is such a joy to walk on: soft and aromatic. Some herbs I have found to grow easily in a lawn include violet, dandelion, chickweed, garden mallow, self heal, plantain, yarrow, clover (white, yellow, and red), Roman chamomile, oxeye daisy, purslane, pineapple weed, several species of mint, lamb’s quarters, couchgrass, cleavers, oregano, shepherd’s purse, mullein, catnip, wood sorrel, English daisy, wild lettuce, some asters, and pussytoes. I’d love to know which herbs you have growing in your lawn!
© Elaine Sheff, Clinical Herbalist, RH (AHG)