Keren from Kitchener

1. What were the major reasons you chose to replace your grass?

I had small lawns, front and back, that weren't in great shape, and I didn't want to use chemicals. Also, I'm not a big fan of grass, I think it is boring, and my husband hates cutting it. 

2. Did you do the work yourself and if so, how did you get started?  

I did the work myself on the front with help from my husband who did some of the heavy lifting. I started small by expanding existing beds and creating new ones over a few years. Then, two years ago, I just decided to go for it and in the fall, I put newspaper over all my grass and put new soil and mulch on top of it. When spring arrived, it was ready to plant and I didn't have to dig out and dispose of all that grass. I created my own design, but I did a lot of reading and looked at photos on websites about urban gardens. I also have friends who garden, and they provided encouragement.

My neighbour Steve Fraser, who does fabulous stone work, helped me purchase the flagstone walkways in the front and I laid it myself. Then this summer, he helped me realize my vision for the back yard, which is shaded and had mossy, weedy grass. He built a dry stone wall out of river rock and laid a beautiful oval flagstone patio. Then I put beds all around it and planted it with my favourite shade plants, including lots of hostas. 

3. What resources did you use for selecting the features and plants in your project? For example, workshops, books, websites that you would recommend. 

I attended the Region's gardening workshops two summers ago, and I also bought the occasional gardening magazine. But I also looked for inspiration all around me. I looked at what other gardeners were doing in the city and I googled urban gardening and read lots of sites. I had to learn about gardening zones, and all of that, but once you get the hang of it, its easy because lots of garden centre's mark their plants with the zones so you know before you buy them. Ask your friends, colleagues and neighbours who garden or search for discussion groups about gardening. Gardeners love to share, and I even got some great plants from gardeners with mature projects who wanted to thin their plants.

 

4.What were your biggest challenges in completing the project? Is there anything you wish that you had known before you started this project that you know now? Any other tips/hints or advice?

I had a few hiccups ordering mulch and stone because I had no concept of how big a cubic yard is. Fortunately, I found people willing to help me use it up! I wish I knew more about plants before I started, especially drought tolerant ones, because I would have used more at the start. Now I'm adding them. Also, it is hard to determine how big a plant will get or were it will grow best in your garden, even when it tells you the size on the tag, so it takes a bit of practice and you have to work up the nerve to move things.

The best tip I got was about using newspaper to cover and kill my grass. The first new bed I put in I didn't know that tip and I lugged a lot of compost bags to the curb full of grass. The best advice I can give is, start with a plan, but don't be afraid to let the garden take you where it wants to go. I find now there's always new plants I want to add, but I'm running out of room! My front yard has evolved significant, though the original bones of my first plan are still there. I also would recommend that you pay as much attention to the hardscaping -- stones, walkways, fountains, garden art and ornaments -- as you do the plants, because those things can add a lot of character to your garden, and you don't have to spend a lot of money on them if you are creative.

5. What sort of maintenance does your project require, how much time to you spend on it compared to when you had a lawn?

I probably spend more time on it now, but that's because I enjoy it. The actual gardening part doesn't take much time. But for the last few years, I've been in construction mode, and that took every single spare hour of every nice day (and some not so nice days!). But, again, I don't look at that as work. My husband, on the other hand, used to mow the lawns and now he spends little to no time doing that and spends that time instead sitting on the porch watching the bees, butterflies and our very first humming bird.

6. What do you enjoy most about your new space?

Every day is a new day in a large garden. There's always something new or changing to look at. I love the juxtaposition of different colours and textures of the various plants and grasses and what happens when the quality of the light changes throughout the day. I also really love the enjoyment that others get as they walk by. Some stop and admire, others walk and look. I think I'm going to put a bench on the boulevard next year so they'll have a place to sit and enjoy it. I have one neighbour who rents so she doesn't have her own garden, and she stops and pulls the occasional weed. I could use more like her! And I especially like that I now have many more lovely bees, birds and butterflies in my garden. I was so excited when I saw my first humming bird because I've never seen one before in our neighbourhood.