In many ways, "the environment" that we seek to improve begins at home—in our own front yards, in fact. For a growing number of people the all-American lawn is no longer green enough, and using native plants to replace turf is an attractive and responsible option.

Lose some lawn
Before the advent of mechanized mowers, expanses of trimmed grass were the pride of the wealthy with resources to maintain them by hand or by hoof. As push mowers became available in the U.S., homeowners set about proudly taming their yards. Lawns spread along with suburbia in a dubious display of human control over nature.

LOW-GROWING NATIVES

Mosses Velvety green and luxurious, if moss occurs naturally in your yard, why fight it? Sedges A large family of grass-like plants for a variety of conditions. Seersucker sedge (Carex plantaginea) is especially handsome with its rippled leaves and early spring flowers. Grasses Little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) thrives in sunny sites and is drought-tolerant. Ferns Christmas fern (Polystichum acrostichoides) is an excellent choice for many yards. With dark evergreen fronds, it grows in sun or shade.

The rise of the lawn has had a serious downside. Conventional power mowers consume gas, belch exhaust, and rattle the neighbors. Uniform turf requires herbicide, pesticide, and fertilizer, and can slurp up thousands of gallons of water each summer. In terms of biodiversity, lawns typically cover large areas with a small number of non-native species—an ecological desert.

Go native
Native plants are eminently sustainable. By definition they are species that naturally occur in your area and are adapted to tolerate local conditions. Like other types of gardening, growing natives requires a grasp of the soil-sunwater basics. To decide which plants will best suit your property, learn about habitat types that are (or were) nearby. Explore local wild lands, field guides, and online sources. Check with your local garden center and visit other gardens using native plants. New England Wild Flower Society's Garden in the Woods is a mecca for native plant enthusiasts, showcasing more than 1,000 species along its trails in Framingham, Mass.

Because of growing interest, native plants are now widely sold in most areas. Be sure that what you buy is nursery-propagated. Plants should never be taken from the wild. Seed is also an option, and mixes are available for native meadows, wetlands, and woodland edges from ecologically attuned growers like Project Native in Housatonic, Mass.

When you’re ready to add natives, starting small makes good sense. You can gradually improve parts of your yard and still keep a sense of open space by removing turf grass and other undesirables and adding low-growing native plants (see list). Consider turning part of your lawn into meadow with a restricted mow schedule. Let your grasses flower and set seed, and add perennial favorites like milkweed, asters, and goldenrod. Once your plants are established, you’ll find that many will reproduce from seed and can be divided to cover more area.

Reap the rewards
When you trade lawn for native plants, the benefits are big—and not just for you. Saving money, reducing your "footprint," and getting in touch with your native landscape are great results. But the big payoff for many green-minded gardeners is habitat building. By reintroducing native plants, you create links to a chain of pollinating insects, birds, and many other animals. Your good work may inspire your neighbors. The combined effect of many yards builds natural communities and promotes biodiversity—good for your neighborhood, and good for the environment.