How to Grow an Herbal Lawn
My children grew up looking forward to dandelion season. We would go out into our backyard and gather up those bright yellow blossoms from our herbal lawn to make dandelion flower cookies, fritters, and even bright yellow homemade fermented soda. Dandelion flower jelly could be pulled out at winter solstice for a little taste of sunshine.
The grass in our lawn was mixed with all sorts of useful plants. The plantain and chickweed growing in our yard became poultice band-aids for scrapes, cuts, and bee stings. We’d turn to yarrow for deeper cuts when we needed to stop the flow of blood. Chickweed also got made into pesto and added to our salads along with miner’s lettuce and finely chopped plantain and dandelion leaves. One of our favorite lawn herbs was self-heal or heal-all. We would gather the clustered tiny purple flowers to dry and add to our tea blends.
So, Just What is an Herbal Lawn?
An herbal lawn is simply a lawn where plants like dandelion and self-heal grow right in amongst the grass. These other plants are considered weeds by many people, but they are actually some of the most nutritious and healing plants around. It may take some time to get used to allowing these plants to grow along with the grass, but they are mostly low growing and can be mowed right along with the grass so that you can still keep your lawn neat and tidy.
Benefits of an Herbal Lawn
John and I always preferred an herbal lawn to one made up entirely of grass, and as it turns out there are many benefits to cultivating a lawn like this. Grass lawns are monocultures that deplete soil nutrients and require more fertilizers to keep them growing, while the multiple plant species in an herbal lawn give and take nutrients throughout the seasons so that the soil stays healthy. The diversity of plant species also supports microorganisms within the soil and insect life above the soil, including pollinators that help our garden and fruit bearing plants to thrive. Healthy lawns are complex ecosystems of interconnected organisms and the more diverse the ecosystem, the more resilient it will be.
Ashley Chesser, from the Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides, encourages the planting of herbal lawns because the healthy ecosystem that is created also helps keep pests in check, preventing the need for spraying pesticides. Also, of course, if we are letting the herbs grow, herbicides like Roundup are not needed either. Nearly 80 million pounds of pesticides are used on U.S. lawns annually and many are linked to health concerns like Hodgkin’s lymphoma and nervous system damage.
Beyond all of this, herbal lawns require less water than turf grass and need less mowing. So, they require less upkeep from you. Without the need for pesticides and herbicides they are also healthier places for our children to play, and you and your kids can have fun making herbal treats from the plants in your own backyard.
Cultivating an Herbal Lawn
Oftentimes, all it takes to cultivate an herbal lawn is simply letting the herbs grow rather than weeding them out. If there are particular herbs you’d like to cultivate, seeding is best done in early spring or fall. Before starting, rake out any dead or matted grasses in the lawn. Broadcast the seeds by hand or using a wheeled seed spreader. Encourage growth by lightly raking compost or organic fertilizer into the lawn at the same time.
This will be easier to do in areas where cool-season grasses like bluegrasses and fescues grow. Warm-season grasses like Bermuda or St. Augustine are more aggressive and make it hard for the herbs to compete. If you have a lawn with these types of grasses, you may have to dedicate a space for the herbs and keep the grass weeded out.
Here are some wonderful lawn herbs…
DANDELIONS (Taraxacum officinale)
Dandelions are tap-rooted, perennial herbs, native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere.
Benefits in a lawn: The taproots break up compacted soil and the flowers provide food for pollinators — making them an excellent addition to an herbal lawn.
Some benefits as an herb: The whole dandelion plant is a wonderful food source. The roots and leaves contain beneficial vitamins and minerals. Besides being nutritious, the bitter taste of both the leaves and roots help to stimulate digestion. The flowers are high in lutein, a constituent that supports eye health. Flower poultices can also help soothe itchy eyes and rashes.
Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
Thyme is an aromatic perennial evergreen herb in the mint family, Lamiaceae. Creeping thyme is the variety best suited for an herbal lawn, with green leaves and light pink flowers that bloom in early summer.
Benefits in a lawn: Many creeping thyme species thrive on neglect, and over time the plant grows lush and thick without becoming too long. It is drought tolerant and self seeding.
Some benefits as an herb: Though milder acting than garden thyme (Thymus vulgaris) this variety can be used in the same ways. Thyme can help ease symptoms related to colds and flus and can be particularly helpful when trying to stop coughing spasms. Thyme also aids digestion and can be useful to help stop belching and flatulence. Plus, thyme is antimicrobial and is wonderful when used as a mouthwash for sore gums and minor mouth infections.
Plantain (Plantago spp.)
Plantain is a flowering herb native to most of Europe and Northern and Central Asia, but has naturalized in North America. This common herb is wind-pollinated and propagates primarily by seeds, which are held on the long, narrow spikes, which rise above the oval or lance-shaped leaves.
Benefits in a lawn: Plantain grows from a basal rosette and the root can be up to a foot long. Similar to dandelions, they are good at breaking up compacted soil. They are hardy and tolerant of repeated mowing and trampling.
Some benefits as an herb: Plantain is an amazing remedy for bee and wasp stings. It takes away the sting and also helps draw out the stinger. A plantain poultice will also help draw out splinters and heal cuts and scrapes. It is often known as the “band-aid plant” for these healing qualities. Plantain can also be chopped up small and added to salads. Because it is cooling and moistening, plantain can also be a wonderful remedy for a dry, hacking cough.
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Chickweed is a flowering herb in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Eurasia and naturalized throughout the world. The leaves are oval and small with white flowers that have five deeply lobed petals.
Benefits in a lawn: Chickweed can grow anywhere from 2 to 16 inches tall but generally grows shorter within a lawn. It forms a thick, dense mat that can withstand foot traffic and grows well in both sunny and shady conditions.
Some benefits as an herb: Chickweed is a tasty and nutritious addition to a salad. It is filled with beneficial vitamins and minerals like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin C. Chickweed’s cooling qualities can also be a great remedy when you have a fever that is making you feel hot and restless. Also, like plantain, a chickweed poultice can help heal scrapes, cuts, and blisters.
Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)
Self heal is a flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae and is common in most temperate climates. It has square stems and opposite leaves. Its numerous, small (about ½ inch), purple to pink or white snapdragon-like flowers have short, tubular stalks.
Benefits in a lawn: Self-heal is a great low growing perennial ground cover. It will die back a bit in the hot, dry months of the year but will return the following spring. In your herbal lawn, self-heal’s flowers can provide food for smaller native pollinators.
Some benefits as an herb: This little weed is a powerful healing plant. It has antiviral properties and the polysaccharides in it can help support a healthy immune system. Hot self-heal tea is great at the beginning stages of a cold with a sore throat. Its antiviral properties will help our bodies fight the virus, while its demulcent qualities help to soothe and coat the irritated throat. A poultice of self-heal can also be helpful for healing wounds like cuts, scrapes, and burns.
WHITE YARROW (Achillea millefolium)
Yarrow is a flowering perennial herb that spreads via rhizomatous growth. It is native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe, and North America.
Benefits in a lawn: Yarrow is much tougher than grass and can endure high traffic once established. The blossoms provide food for smaller native pollinators.
Some benefits as an herb: Also known as “woundwort,” yarrow is one of our go-to first aid plants for tending cuts and scrapes and for stopping bleeding —including from nosebleeds. Yarrow is also antimicrobial and can be used to address common symptoms of colds and flus, including sore throats and wet coughs. Beyond these acute situations, yarrow also can help promote healthy digestion and support vein health.
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