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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/aug/20/biodiversity-gardens-wildlife-lawns-grass-ecosystems-native-plants-america-aoe>
"When James Reed McGuire and Crystal Fritz first decided to replace their lawn
with native plants, they did not really know what they were doing. As former
city-dwellers who had moved from Chicago out to the suburb of Highland Park,
Illinois, they had never done much gardening together beyond growing some
planters of herbs and flowers on their balcony.
But for McGuire, an avid birder who did not want to live with a sea of turf
that does “absolutely nothing for the environment”, figuring out an alternative
to the suburban status quo was imperative.
The couple’s early attempts to rewild their lawn were full of what they now
deem missteps. They bought mixed wildflower seed packets and sprinkled them
about aimlessly, rather than identifying specific species native to their area
and planning where they should go. They tried digging up the turf by hand with
a shovel, labour so difficult that McGuire laughs when he thinks about it now.
But with each mistake, they learned. Despite having no horticultural training –
Fritz works as a personal assistant, while McGuire is a creative director and
writer – they slowly figured out how to identify native plants for their region
and experimented with the best ways to grow them from seed to keep the project
economical.
They designed layouts for their garden that would allow them to enjoy blooms
for as much of the growing season as possible. Every year, they added a few
more native plants and every year they watched as more pollinators and birds
were drawn to the garden.
Today, McGuire and Fritz’s lawn has been transformed from a monoculture of turf
to a thriving native ecosystem in the suburbs. The abundance of native plants
provides food and habitat for a plethora of wild critters: sightings of birds,
butterflies, bees, rabbits, bats and foxes are now common occurrences.
“It’s really a stunning environment,” says McGuire. “It brings us a lot of
peace and tranquility in a very troubled world.”"
Via Susan ****
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
