Prairie lawns help Nebraskans promote biodiversity

In the midst of drought, during the state's driest year on record, homeowners struggle to maintain the ideal image of the impeccably manicured, emerald-green front yard.

As the weather turns to fall and Nebraskans finish up summer's final yard work and prepare their lawns for cold weather, many may find themselves frustrated with brown, patchy grass or struggling garden beds.

An alternative landscape is growing in popularity among those who find themselves tired of grass upkeep and hesitant of heavy water usage: the prairie lawn.

Also commonly referred to as natural gardens, residential prairies or meadow lawns, a prairie lawn consists of a varied collection of grasses, wildflowers, shrubs and trees that are native to the Great Plains.

Benjamin Vogt owns and operates Monarch Gardens, a prairie-inspired landscape design firm that specializes in lawn-to-meadow conversions. Growing up, his mother was an avid gardener, and he decided to follow in her footsteps by gardening at his own home beginning in 2007. Vogt's interest only grew, and he started designing full-time in 2016.

Vogt uses almost entirely native plants in his designs, citing their resilience and abilities to retain water in the soil and avoid topsoil erosion. He also believes that native plants are a crucial defense against climate change and increasing numbers of extreme weather events.

"I firmly believe native plants are going to be the most adaptable plants we're going to have for climate change," he said. "These plants will give us more buffer than if we're using exotic species, and I am definitely a native plant champion for that reason."

Troy and Anna Hiser of Seward finished their own lawn conversion in September. They were mainly driven by a desire to avoid chemical fertilizers, air and noise pollution from lawnmowers and the time and financial resources required to maintain a traditional lawn.

"Our yard stands out among the boring sea of green, and we can take solace in knowing, at least in some small part, we are doing what we can to improve the environment we spend the most time in and around, our house," Troy Hiser said.

According to Shulski, housing and farmland development can fragment native habitats and cause undue stress to prairie wildlife that is already dwindling because of climate change. Shrinking the remaining grasslands hinders the positive climate effects brought by native vegetation.

Vogt agrees that converted lawns assist birds, insects and pollinators by preserving wildlife habitats. According to Vogt, urban areas are actually crucial to plant biodiversity in ways people may not expect. He says that in farmland, there is actually less plant diversity because fields are monocultures of crops such as corn and soybeans.

In towns, there tends to be more bee activity because there are more floral resources and plant species present.

“If we can start creating these little islands of habitat that can connect through the urban core, that’s going to help species a lot because they are here even if we don’t see them,” he said. “They’re critical to our environment and ecological future.”

After the Hisers’ lawn conversion, Troy Hiser noticed a large increase in the numbers of bees, hummingbird moths and butterflies present in their yard.

Families with children can especially benefit from prairie lawn spaces. Vogt’s own four-year-old son prefers the parts of their yard that are filled with long grasses and flower bushes, to watch the bees and butterflies within the garden.

Despite the personal and ecological benefits, there are challenges associated with converting to a prairie lawn. For starters, some people may face hesitation from neighborhood homeowner associations.

Monarch Gardens has a discussion with all clients about neighborhood regulations before beginning the conversion process. If clients do live under an HOA contract, Vogt studies the specific rules to decide how to make a prairie lawn fit under those guidelines. Sometimes he must get approval for a conversion, in which case he creates a detailed design plan and list of plants that will be installed.

Sometimes, people anonymously complain to the city about a neighbor’s prairie lawn.

“I have started to tell people that if you’re going to do this, it’s already a lot of hard work to learn about the plants and prep the site, but you also must be psychologically ready for the long haul where you might face issues with neighbors,” Vogt said.

It’s important to ensure that a prairie design blooms for the entire growing season and looks intentional, as most laypeople cannot tell the difference between certain native species and weeds, advises Jeff Carney, a nursery and garden center manager at Campbell’s in Lincoln. He has experience in prairie-preservation projects and native plant installation.

Overall, Vogt said that among Monarch Gardens’ clientele there have only been “two or three” instances of neighborhood complaints in the last few years. To avoid any potential conflicts, he recommends including sculptural elements and planting in odd-numbered groups to make the design appear aesthetically appealing. He also mentioned that installing a sign about the purpose behind prairie lawns can better inform passersby why the yard looks out of the ordinary.

Carney recommends choosing short and compact native plants that stay under three feet tall, to avoid unruliness and encroaching onto others’ property.

Vogt and Carney both pointed to first-year weeds as the main annoyance facing new prairie lawns. When the ground is disturbed, it gives weeds more chance to grow. As long as property owners stay on top of weed control for the first year, the desirable native plants will begin to outperform any annual weeds and the issue should resolve itself.

A typical lawn-to-prairie conversion begins with a one-time treatment to kill off the non-native grass. The next step is installing a one-time mulch layer to fend off weeds. Monarch Gardens installs baby plants throughout the space, to get clients more bang for their buck as baby plants are less expensive than fully matured plants. Plants are installed densely, and within one to two years the prairie will be fully grown.

Prior to any hands-on work, though, Vogt recommends that homeowners do their own research. He says it is essential to learn more about native plants than what appears on small tags in a store. Begin by researching plants by their Latin names instead of common names, and establish a baseline of gardening knowledge before diving into a lawn conversion.

The Hisers began by installing a test bed in one section of their yard a few years before jumping into their total yard conversion, to see how native plants would grow with their home’s soil, water and sunlight conditions. They planted large swaths of clover to replace portions of their traditional grass before opting for an entirely native yard. The couple chose raised plant beds and layered straw, dirt, cardboard and mulch over remaining grass to prevent it from growing.

Carney advises installing a varied mix of native plants that will bloom in the early spring, summer and fall.

He says that any compact native grasses, such as bluestem and prairie dropseed, are a good method for adding texture and visual interest to a prairie yard. Coneflowers are a shoo-in for any yard due to their cheerful color. Coreopsis flowers also add bright pops of pigment and boast a long blooming season. Of course, Carney also frequently recommends goldenrod as it is the Nebraska state flower.

If people prefer large trees in their prairie lawn, Carney likes adding swamp white oaks and northern red oaks as they are fast-growing, water-efficient varieties.

Vogt believes in the importance of prairie lawns as ways to reconnect with one’s history and heal communities. He says prairie plants’ complex root structures and biodiversity is what made Nebraska’s croplands possible in the first place.

“The prairie is our natural heritage, it’s what makes Nebraska,” he said. “Preserving the prairie is a way of celebrating Nebraska and where we live.”