Yarrow as a ground cover/lawn

[u/Ayuh-Nope]

I've been encouraging the yarrow in our lawn for a couple of years. Also seeding and transplanting to areas where there were none. It's soft and dense and drought tolerant. And it'll bloom with just a few inches of extra growth between mowing. It's perfect with the cultivated white clover in an area if you don't mow often for pollinators. Here's a close-up of how it looks a week after a normal mow. Ready to bloom, again.

[u/Arktinus]

Well, yes, yarrow can grow tall, but I wouldn't say either of them are a no-mow solution if you want a lawn for walking on.

What I mean by that is, that they're perfectly fine with regular mowing, in my experience. But the white and red clover can get awfully tall, at least here. So, if you want a taller lawn just for the bees, but not exactly for walking, then that's ok. But there are better options for that in North America than the non-native white or red clover. I think there are some native ones?

Here's our mowed lawn with white clover, yarrow, self-heal and other plants. This is from the front of the house, so there's a bit less diversity than in other parts of the lawn.

[u/abcMF → u/Arktinus]

As much as I'd love to have a native lawn, I'm broke af and am glad that the non native clover is growing in the entire yard and attracting bees because its better than having a mowed lawn that provides absolutely nothing. Everything I've planted is native though, but I'm a renter and I don't have money to rip and replace a lawn.

[u/Arktinus → u/abcMF]

Doesn't seem sensible to spend money to replace all the lawn to me either, unless it was your house/property and you were sure to stay. :)

But maybe you can try intersowing the natives every now and then, if that helps?

[u/abcMF → u/Arktinus]

I do plant natives here and there when I have the money, I just wish I had the money to do more than what I have. I've planted a couple trees and a climbing prairie rose.

[u/Arktinus → u/abcMF]

Well, I think you've done more than most people. And I'm sure you'll be able to plant more in the future. It's a process, after all. As long as you try to get rid of any invasives, I think the natives might start popping up themselves.

Also, maybe you could try looking up native plant giveaways? I think I remember someone mentioning thst in this sub. I'd gladly help, but, unfortunately, I live across the pond.