As many of you know, I’m not a fan of lawns. When I had my landscaping business going, I was discouraged at how many people were asking me for help green up their lawn, cut grass, aerate and fertilize, etc. rather than planting drifts of perennials, shrubs, and small trees that act as sources of shelter and food for wildlife and pollinators. Especially when you consider the immense cost of trying to keep turf healthy and thriving, versus beds of perennials and shrubs that only need occasional trimming or fertilizing but largely take care of themselves.
If you’re thinking of making the switch from lawn to garden beds, it’s actually not that difficult to do; it will take some time, but the costs are minimal. Here’s a great video on what’s involved:
My only addendum to this video is that I personally would rather use compost to layer on top of the cardboard and newspaper rather than just plain mulch; mulch won’t add much in the way of nutrients, which compost will. Just make sure your compost is free of weeds/weed seeds!
The Garden Dude 