With historic drought gripping the state, the old norm of lush green lawns is becoming simply unsustainable. Together, with the Foothills of Windsor Homeowners Association and the Town of Windsor, we created a new normal in suburban landscapes, starting with the transformation of 7,500 ft2 of water-thirsty lawn into a water-wise, edible, and habitat-providing demonstration garden. We used a technique called “sheet mulching” which allows you to compost your lawn in place under thick layers of compost, cardboard and mulch. Sheet mulching creates a prime canvas for planting by building soil, retaining moisture and preventing weeds…without the backbreaking labor of digging up the lawn or the chemical leaching and water repellency of plastic weed materials.
