▷ How to renovate a lawn according to the principles of modern design

How to renovate the lawn in your garden so that it beautifies the land, but you no longer have to work to maintain large areas of it? I talked about it with Lina Puodžiūte-Ragauskienelandscape architect and “Yellow Wheelbarrow” courses. «My garden project» teacher.

In the article you read:

why it is worth renewing the lawn,
how to decide how much lawn you really need in your yard
what shape of lawn to choose so that it becomes an elegant element of a modern courtyard.

LESS IS BETTER

Lawns as far as the eye can see are still a common sight in private backyards. But those who have large lawns know very well how much time and effort it takes to maintain them. We also fertilize the lawn with chemical fertilizers and use a lot of water for irrigation, which is in no way compatible with the principles of creating a sustainable environment. And let’s be honest: Even if the lawn is lush and green, it alone doesn’t give the garden impressive beauty or style. So how do you renovate your lawn so that it becomes a beautiful garden accent and doesn’t consume so much energy? The answer is simple: to reduce the lawn. The landscape specialist urges you not to be afraid to do this, because with a smaller, but better designed lawn in the yard:

you will save time and effortbecause it will be much easier to maintain a smaller area of the lawn;
you will waste fewer natural resourcesbecause less water and chemical fertilizers will be needed;
you will update the overall design of the plot at relatively low costs.

Therefore, lawn planning is relevant not only for settlers who are just starting to create their outdoor environment, but also for those who have lived in their property for many years, but want to give it a modern and stylish look.

HOW TO RENEW THE LAWN: WHERE AND HOW MUCH TO LEAVE IT

According to the expert, the lawn should be seen as the floor of a living room. Usually empty floors are left where you walk, run, play sports, in other words, where you need space to move freely.

Tad I wait necessary ten, Kurt:

you walk more;
children usually play and run;
in summer you like to sit on the grass or sunbathe.

After evaluating the habits and real needs of your family, you will clearly see how much space on the plot will be occupied by the renovated lawn. You will be sure that you can have a much smaller green area than you currently have in your garden.

Lawn reduction and renewal interventions are planned. photo L. Puodžiūtė-Ragauskienė

The lawn is not functional at all, that’s why useless:

where you do not walk, sit or lie on the grass, for example on the north side of the ground, where the lawn is already getting worse;
in the garden areas, the flower garden and the vegetable garden, especially in the spaces between the plants, because there the lawn does not perform any aesthetic function, and it is very inconvenient to access and mow it.

THE BEST SHAPE OF THE LAWN

Once you’ve decided where your updated lawn will be, think about its shape. Lina Puodžiūtė-Ragauskienė recommends choosing a precise geometric shape, because in this way the edges of the lawn will be clear, not faded, and the plot will immediately seem tidier. This does not mean at all that the renovated lawn necessarily has to be square or rectangular. It can be a circle, an oval, an ellipse or another elegant shape, it is important that its boundaries are clearly drawn and not meandering anywhere and in any way. The chosen shape should help reveal the general idea and stylistics of the design of the room.

Very simple, but very effective way To check which lawn shape would work best for your garden, you need to cut out geometric shapes you like from green paper and place them one by one on the plot design. This way you will see very clearly how different shapes change the whole texture picture, so it will be easier to choose which one is best for you. Participants of the «My Garden Design» course will learn this and many other practical tips and tricks for creating the plot. In these courses, with the help of professional teachers, you can learn to create the courtyard of your dreams according to modern plot design principles. The courses take place both in groups and online – click to read more about them.

HOW TO RENEW A LAWN ON AN OLD TERRITORY

Plants were probably planted in the lawn on the old plot (for example some cherry trees, gooseberry or currant bushes). If they grow exactly where you designed your new lawn, move them elsewhere. You can safely dig it up and transplant it to another part of the plot:

fruit bushes,
perennial flowers,
other herbaceous plants.

Of course, it is not possible to move a century-old tree and we do not recommend doing so. If you have a towering tree in your yard, it’s worth looking for a landscaping solution that will save it.

WHAT TO DO WITH AREAS WHERE NO LAWN REMAINS

Where the edges of the lawn end, garden and decorative areas (flower gardens) can begin. Since there is no more lawn between the plants, plant in decorative areas in dense groups of trees, shrubs, perennials and bluebells to keep the spaces as small as possible. You can fill the remaining spaces with pine bark, buckwheat mulch or small pebbles.