I will discuss just one aspect: the choice of the picture. It, together with the the rest of the article, conveys the impression this story has to do with a dandelion-laden yard.

This picture was taken in May of 2007, near the start of our naturalized garden project. The citation was issued in June 2008, more than a year later, and by that time alot of work was already done. The work included the eradication of all dandelions from the easement and numerous plantings of blooming perennials such as Monardas, Echinacea, Prairie dock, and Heliopsis. The planted perennials were chosen for hardiness (the soil on the easement is poor), as well as for color that would blend in well with the wildflowers already present. We are also cultivating several varieties of support grasses to complete this naturalized garden.

When we got cited on June 6, 2008, there were no more dandelions on our easement. Instead, the easement contained a growth of young Monardas, Echinaceas, etc. They were still far from blooming and probably looked like tall grass to someone unfamiliar with these plants. This early-season growth, combined with additional work and plantings that summer, resulted in the flowering garden you see in the following picture, taken on August 12, 2008 (and used in the Ann Arbor News article):

Ann Arbor News Photo

The garden in this picture is the culmination of over two years of work.

I also wanted to add that the picture at the start of this article shows a decrepit-looking mailbox with peeling paint, which undoubtedly adds to the impression of an unkempt yard. This eyesore of a mailbox belongs to a house across the street that has been vacant for two years. Our nice cedar mailbox, with trump vines climbing on it, cannot be seen in that shot.

Our story does not have to do with dandelions, but back to them for just a second. We understand their value and love to use them (and enjoyed reading the wonderful writeup by Linda Feldt!). However, dandelions are still a very hard sell in this neighborhood, and for this reason we dropped them entirely from the garden early in the project. We felt brightly colored flowering perennials and ornamental grasses would go over better, while still providing a transition away from the chemically drenched lawn.

I was amused last summer to note that one of the two wild lawns (I think of them as Wild Ones products – six-feet-tall prairie plants) on Brooks was replaced on half its area by a vegetable garden, while the other half was retained as prairie. Must have been some interesting household discussions.

I love prairie lawns, I like dandelions, and I don’t even mind messy overgrowth. It’s a messy world, we’re just passing through.

I know that dandelions and other wild (or introduced) species can be nutritive. (I own the original edition of Stalking the Wild Asparagus.) But many are also invasive and not welcome in my cultivated areas, either. I spent a long several years expunging some burdock from my daylily bed and I’m constantly having to dig dandelions out of my vegetable garden. (Vegetables don’t appreciate competition.) And my neighbors have been heard to complain about the dandelions in my lawn, which only make a brief showing during the May growth flush. My aeration-plus-slow release organic fertilizer regime has made a sufficiently healthy turf that they aren’t a problem most of the year.

My point was to say that we have a number of conflicting viewpoints on this issue to sort out. People can get quite exercised about it. I have neighbors on three sides who use lawn herbicide treatments. I had to speak sharply to one of them who was spraying herbicide along our mutual fencerow. It damaged some of my plantings. But he thinks most plants are weeds.

It is sad that this valuable (and attractive) plant has developed such a negative reputation.

There are many invasive and non native plants that can and should be removed – and eating them to harvest can be part of the solution. Burdock, chickweed, chicory, yellow dock (amazing pesto), purslane (high in omega 3 constituents), mallows, and so many more weeds can be more valuable than vegetables.

I offer free monthly classes through the People’s Food Co-op on local herbs and weeds. It’s a great time to consider the free food and medicine we can find in our yards. And the best way to help dandelions and other weeds gain greater acceptance is when people learn more about them. It will take constant education and some pioneers to help change our concept of what is a “normal” lawn.

We can do it! Starting with that much maligned dandelion.

A lawn doesn’t require chemical inputs. I’ll pull your weeds and spread compost if the pay is good. :-)

I think it was an odd case for the Sierra Club to get involved in, where it seemed to be more about maintenance than choice of plantings.

The frustrating thing about it is that it does nothing to settle the real questions facing us about the balance between personal (and even global) objectives vs. cultural norms in the public part of our personal landscapes.

On the one hand, the entire local community has a stake in each property owner’s management of the public (i.e. front) part of his/her property. A weedy, trashy yard quickly leads to diminished expectations for entire neighborhoods, and ruins the property values and even the overall ambience of the immediate area. I certainly don’t like to see unmown lawns in my near vicinity.

On the other hand, a manicured grass lawn has some drawbacks from certain environmental and personal viewpoints. Among other things, it is expensive to maintain and requires labor and chemical inputs that even in the most benign constructions are not productive in a larger sense. Yet, grass turf is still the most easily maintained and attractive ground cover, and can be used for informal play. It also sets off formal landscaping beautifully.

Nicely landscaped and carefully tended flower gardens, or even “edible landscaping” (where vegetables and herbs are part of a carefully maintained landscape) are well-tolerated. Also, what has in the past been called “the new American garden”, with ornamental grasses and hardy perennials, is acceptable in the frontage of a city lot.

But where do we draw a line with informal “wild” gardens, vs. simply collections of weeds and unmown grass? And what about frankly productive agriculture in the front yard, without attention to aesthetics?

Much of my own property is wasted as a front lawn area. It is the most sunny area and would be perfect for serious vegetable production. I’d love to be able to grow sweet corn. But I doubt that some of my neighbors would appreciate it, and I’m not sure that I am really ready to attempt it. I think it might break some zoning ordinances, too.

We still have some questions to work out.