This lawn, of ornamental peanut plants, almost thoroughly outcompetes other plants.
The blossoms will persist year round if the plant is mowed once per year.
Still in Florida with my family, I can admit to my blog followers that my mind never completely shuts off from this lawn crusade. When I took my 8-month-old daughter for a walk yesterday in an old neighborhood in St. Petersburg, I was fascinated by a lawn with bright orange-yellow blooms. The homeowner, perched out front for what he said was his once-a-year hand weeding, called his creation a peanut lawn.
He allowed me to snap a few photos and when I got a chance to go on-line today, I learned more about Arachis glabrata, a member of the pea family. Here’s a description from a University of Florida Cooperative Extension agent: http://leon.ifas.ufl.edu/News_Columns/2004/070104.pdf.
In addition to being the most beautiful lawn in my sister-in-law’s Florida neighborhood, it was also one of the most low maintenance. The homeowner says he mows just once a year and never fertilizes, since the plant “fixes” its own nitrogen from the atmosphere.
Here are a couple of great web sites to find other lawn alternatives: www.jeeperscreepersusa.com and www.stepables.com that will help you find other plants suitable for other climates (the ornamental peanut is only hardy to Zone 8). Don’t get me wrong: I’m not trying to be anti-lawn. Grass has its place and purpose in the North American landscape. But you need to know that there are so many more environmentally friendly alternatives.
May 3rd, 2010 at 7:01 pm
Sorry Paul but this just looks like a lawn full of weeds!
May 3rd, 2010 at 7:16 pm
you’d have to see it in person . They are very pretty and don’t have the yellow flowers during the summer. Butterflies also like them!
May 3rd, 2010 at 11:33 pm
Very creative. Will try it on a small patch. Thanks for the inspiration.
May 4th, 2010 at 12:02 pm
Love it!!. I live in Saint Petersburg as well- have been looking for a website like yours FOREVER!!!. Our backyard is all weeds right now and this will be a great alternative.
July 31st, 2010 at 1:58 pm
This is truly a wonderful alternative to grass. It looks so inviting and colorful. I’ve had some of these pop up around my yard from time to time and had wished for a yard full of the Peanut plants! I’m in a wheelchair now 3 yrs with a spinal cord injury and I’m dependant on everyone else now to help with my lawn/gardening. It’s very difficult to get around my yard to my gardens, my yard is all weeds and sand now. I would like a low maintenance yard which I can get around with ease in my wheelchair and wanted something with a low pile and dense. Do they sell this in Pallets like sod?? Do you think it would work for me in S Fla East coast?I think it’s very appealing oppossed to yellow dry grass!