Q: Hi Scott! Can you share a little about the history of these areas at the botanical garden where the lawn alternatives were planted and the reason behind wanting to plant these products here?
I sowed the Alternative Lawn Blend mix in a strip in our parking lot. In previous years, the base soil was extremely compacted — perhaps from heavy vehicles as well as lots of foot traffic from thousands of visitors. The ground had never been aerated. Later, a layer of soil was put on top, which I don’t think was the best solution for wildflowers. I wanted to put an alternative lawn here to show the public what it might be like to have even a small patch of these flowers in their yards. For many visitors, the parking lot is the first thing they see, and the space is very hot and sunny. I always like to see pollinators visiting flowers, and this was a perfect area to trial.
Q: How important is it to consider using wildflowers and alternatives as ways to fill in or replace traditional lawns?
While it takes some experimenting, alternative groundcovers are really important for homeowners to consider. Many traditional lawns, especially ones in front yards require frequent mowing, watering, aerating, and fertilizing. All these activities consume fossil fuels. Mowers and aerators either require gas or power to charge batteries. City water is often not separated into use for landscapes vs. drinking (i.e. we use drinking water to water lawns, and that water requires a lot of energy to be made potable). Chemical fertilizers (not compost) are often chemically made or mined in foreign countries, industrially processed, and then shipped to Canada. This results in a lot of energy to create soft green surfaces that often don't get used. Further, lawns do very little for local wildlife. Pollinators can't use it and it doesn't provide food or habitat for much else. Groundcovers and wildflowers not only look beautiful, they also provide these ecosystem services.
Q: As the UBC Botanical Garden’s Horticulturist, can you briefly share the greatest wins when it comes to growing lawn solutions at the UBC Botanical Garden?
I think the greatest win has been the early season flowering this year. It really was spectacular, and I saw more types of bees than I've ever seen before in one area. I think I made some mistakes with the mowing times, but I am curious to try again next year. The easiest wins were with the clover and California poppies. Plus, the clover really has no problem being mowed and the bees absolutely love it. I will definitely let the clover spread into lawn areas and try to create new pockets of wildflowers within the larger lawns.
Q&A with Scott Ferguson, Horticulturalist at the UBC Botanical Garden