I am interested in alternatives to the traditional grass lawn. As grass needs to grow to a certain height until it flowers it is usually cut before then. Plants that grow lower and flower earlier therefore negate the need for mowing and ensure a far longer flowering period. This opens up the possibilities for lawns of many species of flowering plant. I also have the feeling that without the dense thatch layer and fibrous rooting that lawns often build up, there is more interface between the air and soil. More niches for insects to occupy and better interchange of water. My ongoing experiments in my own garden with lawn alternatives are documented in the 4x7 project.
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| Mixed Sedum with gravel in an old hanging planter |
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| Gravel colonised by Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris) |
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| Moss, liverwort and Ivy |
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| St. Andrews Botanic Garden, Scotland - Slightly overgrown rock garden but interesting to see the natural development of low growing perennials |
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| St. Andrews Botanic Garden, Scotland |
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| St. Andrews Botanic Garden, Scotland |
