Biodiversity in the garden: a mixed lawn is healthier

When we hear the word biodiversity, the first thing we think of is the health of the environment. The conversation that arises around this topic is certainly important, as biodiversity loss is one of the most tragic consequences of human impact on the environment. Yet, biodiversity is much more than we think, and it is also a fundamental topic when talking about health, resilience, and, yes, the good looks of our gardens.

Biodiversity, in fact, is one of nature's strategies that can be used to make a lawn more efficient. As always, nature finds its own solutions to many problems that we try to solve with artificial methods. By observing nature, therefore, we can learn a lot, and adopting the strategies it finds on its own will make our gardens not only healthier, but also more resilient, without the need for special maintenance or chemical substances.

1. Why biodiversity is important in the garden: no to monocultural plantings
2. Which combinations to choose?
3. How to choose: the essential need for establishment tests

Why biodiversity is important in the garden: no to monocultural plantings

The term biodiversity, a portmanteau of the English terms biological and diversity, originated in 1988 thanks to the work of American entomologist Edward O. Wilson, who coined the term to express the number, variety, and variability of living organisms present within an ecosystem, and how these factors vary from one environment to another over time. Together, the organisms that make up biodiversity form the biosphere, that is, the collection of all ecosystems that constitute life on Earth.

It is no coincidence, therefore, that biodiversity is also defined as the richness of life: the more it is able to expand, the healthier the Earth is and the more life it contains. These concepts apply not only to large ecosystems, but to every small portion of the world in which life grows. Even your garden.

Within gardens, in fact, biodiversity is not composed only of the animal species that can inhabit it, but also of the variety of lawns and plants that make it up. Usually, when choosing the varieties to install in a new garden, one tends to choose a single variety of lawn, but there is nothing wrong with that. It is instead extremely important to include several varieties – generally two to four depending on specific cases – because a varied lawn tends to be more resistant to various factors – from weeds to foot traffic – and more adaptable to different situations. Combining different plants, with different nutritional needs and different contributions of substances that give the lawn its sound, not only makes the lawn more resilient, but also the soil richer and healthier.

Which combinations to choose?

Every garden has its needs, and the choice of the lawn combination must also take into account several factors. Below are some of our most successful mixes, which you can draw inspiration from.

Lippia nodiflora + Verbena x hybrida

Two of our most beloved best sellers, Lippia nodiflora and Verbena hybrida, are among the most versatile alternative lawn varieties available at BotanicalDryGarden. And, fortunately, they are also perfectly compatible. Their combination, in fact, allows for the creation of a lawn that is very resistant to foot traffic and drought, as the properties of each are enhanced thanks to their union with the other.

Frankenia leavis + Achillea crithmifolia

Frankenia and Achillea support each other and become the perfect lawn combination for those living at medium altitudes or in areas that are not particularly warmed by the Sun. This mix of two particularly resilient lawns, in fact, easily adapts to cold and partially shaded areas, managing to flower and thrive where no other lawn combination succeeds.

Verbena hybrida + Achillea crithmifolia

Two varieties we have already seen in combination with other lawns are so versatile and adaptable that they can find new combinations. Together, Verbena hybrida and Achillea crithmifolia manage to satisfy one of the requests we receive most often: how to create a lawn that does not attract bees. Pollinating insects, in fact, although very useful, risk causing a nuisance in small gardens or those frequented by children. For this reason, this combination allows you to not attract them in abundance, and also gives the possibility of having a lawn that is also highly walkable.

Lippia nodiflora + Verbena hybrida + Achillea crithmifolia

There is no rule that says you have to stop at two. On the contrary, the more varieties – clearly compatible with each other – are combined, the more the properties of a garden can increase. By wisely combining Lippia nodiflora, Verbena hybrida, and Achillea crithmifolia, you get, in fact, a lawn that is particularly resistant to foot traffic, as well as aesthetically very pleasant and colorful.

How to choose: the essential need for establishment tests

Not all lawns are suitable for all gardens. We know this very well, and that is why it is important to always know the characteristics of the plants you are considering and those of your soil. But what works in theory does not always have the same application in practice. For this reason, our advice is not to directly purchase a single variety in large quantities to cover the entire area of the garden, but to purchase a few different seedlings, to conduct an establishment test with three or four varieties, so as to create the mix most suitable to your needs and resistant to the characteristics required by the garden.

We also remind you that approaching an alternative lawn means also completely changing our expectations: you are no longer looking for a beautiful and perfect lawn, but for a system where even the role of some weeds is of great importance. In this regard, the presence of super dwarf clovers, for example, is highly appreciated for their nitrogen-fixing qualities and their role as providers of organic matter.

All other plants with small leaves, whether monocotyledonous or dicotyledonous, can be part of the lawn system, especially at the beginning when the groundcovers are not yet able to completely control the surface. During this expansion period, it will be sufficient to mow a few more times to give a more orderly appearance.