Converting the last scraps of turf at my house to a pollinator lawn -- the beginnings.

Dec 18, 2024

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When I bought my house 6 years ago, I hadn't gardened a day in my life. In fact, moving out to the Eastern Plains of Colorado was the first time since leaving my parents' house years and years ago that I lived in a home. Prior to this, I'd rented.

A picture of the bee lawn taken at the level of the plants. — When you are working and are getting tired. Just remember the goal: a beautiful, water-wise replacement for your turf.

After talking with other homeowners out here, and after surveying the land around the house I bought, I knew I would have to do a lot of revision to the landscaping.

A picture of the stone dust and dry stream bed in my front yard. — What was my front lawn.

The water drained to (not away from) the house, and it was surrounded by turf. Turf I didn't want to spend time mowing or money watering. Over the years, being unable to find anyone to hire to do the work, I've taught myself how to xeriscape my yard--working during the summers (I'm a teacher) and revising things as time and money allow.

I also picked up an interest in it. This last year, my 6th here, marks the last bit of turf converted and/or removed. I had one little jelly bean of back yard that I was holding onto for my little one to play in. Since she doesn't play outside much, I moved up my plans for it and turned it into a pollinator (also called a "bee") lawn.

A picture of my backyard. The turf grass is partially covered with cardboard and bags of top soil. — How it began: lots of work!

A picture of a red and yellow flower from my lawn with a bee in it collecting nectar and pollen. — How it ended. A lawn full of flowers that provide food for pollinators, shelter and food for birds.

In the posts that follow this one, I'll go into more detail about the basics of how to set up and start your own pollinator lawn.

For now, what I'd like to do is to encourage you to think it over.

Pollinator lawns are a wonderful way to support the insects that do so much for us.

To attract them to your food garden to increase your yields.

To give you a lot of entertainment watching not only the pollinators themselves, but the other critters that follow them.

It is also a great way to get a lot of beauty and interest to your landscape.

To get that beauty without having to spend anywhere near as much time and money on maintenance and water (not to mention something I loved: the ability to have yet more ground in which to put plants!).

This is something you can do today. You needn't replace every bit of turf in your yard. I myself didn't.

And you can do it on the cheap. I am happy to show you how.