Purple #deadnettles growing amidst white & red #clovers. Both attract #pollinators.

#plants #foliage #groundcover #botanical #LawnAlternatives #Wsanec #Saanich #VictoriaBC #VancouverIsland #VanIsle #PacificNorthwest #PNW #Green #photography #PlantID

So if I wanted #LawnAlternatives because growing a non-native plant and then burning fossil fuels to keep it short seems like a bad idea, where should I look for ideas that focus on practical, environmentally positive options?

I can easily find some general alternative landscaping suggestions, but I'm hoping to find help with things like planting native plants, plants that are good for pollinators, and just generally making our green space a net positive for living things.

A change from my usual "doom & gloom" posts -- DIY #Mosstodon! We have a patch growing in our yard, and it's such a treat to walk barefoot on.

Why and How to Grow Your Own #Moss #Garden

If you’ve never laid down on a bed of moss, you’re missing out.

by Ellen Airhart

"If you’re tired of #mowing your grass and live in an area with access to plenty of water, a moss garden might be for you. Moss needs no fertilizer and filters out air pollution three to 51 times more efficiently than other plants, depending on species and what pollutant you’re measuring. There’s also a less quantifiable advantage to a moss garden: tranquility. 'The spiritual aspects of mosses are intangible, and they’re hard to convey to other people,' says Annie Martin, aka Mossin’ Annie, founder of Mountain Moss Enterprises and author of the book The Magical World of Moss Gardening. 'It can be a very personal experience.'

"Whether you want to build a relaxing space that helps the planet or are attempting to recreate the true Twilight setting with your very own moss garden, you absolutely should not rob the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest. Moss grows nearly everywhere, and it’s more prudent to pick species suited to your area.

"The best place to look? Roadsides and parking lots, Martin says. 'I have an agreement with a neighborhood—several different ones—where I come in and I literally peel the mosses off the pavement,' says Martin. She emphasizes, however, that you can’t just go stealing moss from neighbors’ properties and you’ll need to wear proper safety gear if you’re working on the road (Martin owns a reflective vest). She saves mosses from construction sites and unwanted moss from people’s roofs."

As for re-planting it, "Breaking up or shredding the mosses is a solid principle, since mosses reproduce asexually as well as sexually (through spores).

Also, "Mosses will fill in the gaps at different speeds depending on the species, but Martin has two catchwords on how to help them grow faster: water and walking. Walking on the moss helps it adhere to the soil, since they have small rhizomes instead of roots. And as evidenced by Forks, mosses love water. Even hardy, drought-tolerant moss grows faster with extra water. Martin recommends watering a couple times a day, for three to 10 minutes, more briefly than you would douse vascular plants like grass. If there’s not enough water, the moss will shrivel, and can stay in that desiccated state for a long time. 'There’s mosses that can go for years, like five years, with no water, and then when there’s water they return to their normal functioning,' says Cruz de Carvalho. There are even mosses that grow (slowly) in the desert, where not many plants can survive."

Full article:
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-and-how-to-grow-your-own-moss-garden?utm_source=pocket-newtab

#LawnAlternatives #Gardening