Tuesday, September 29, 2009

I need to remove 500 square feet of lawn

Since I missed out on my city's rain barrel rebate because I installed mine BEFORE the rebate was instituted, I've had my bargain-hunting, won't-let-a-good-deal-pass-me-by-again eye on any new programs my city might offer.

Yesterday, I found that to support our city's push for residents to move towards conservation landscaping, a 50% rebate on materials and plants is being offered, up to a total of $500! I believe what this means is that if I spend $1000 to simply remove lawn and install native plants, I can get $500 back! I've got to calm down though. Keep my cool. Play by the rules. There are applications to fill out. Approvals to attain. Plans to draft. Plants to consider. A seminar to attend. And the bigger obstacle - my husband to persuade.

My husband loves me. He really does. He has faith and confidence in me. He has gone along with every plan I have made without ever a fuss. I just tell him how many bags of mulch to buy and where to go, and he's off. He loves his lawn, and yet I've encroached more and more upon this lawn every season.

Coincidentally, I have been planning a little garden expansion - about 200 feet's worth. I JUST need to scratch out another 300 feet to earn my rebate. When I excitedly told hubby about this today, he flat out said "No" - and he never says no. Now mind you, I was not asking permission, as I'm a grown woman. However, I want him to be OK with this. Can you help me convince him that this is an important project that we MUST take part in? We just MUST find our 500 feet of lawn to remove!

EDITED TO ADD: OK, so I'm off of this idea now. Please feel free to comment anyway, I'm sure I'll use your ideas later on, but I've decided that I need to be my own free agent on this one. I looked over the rebate info again and I CAN'T play by the rules after all- an application? A written plan that someone ELSE has to approve? Then I need to sit around and wait for someone to come and inspect my yard? Requiring that 3/4 of the plants must be from a list? Never mind all that noise. I can be a landscape conserver and do it on my own terms without the rebate and kudos, but for the sheer benefit of acting responsibly. I'll stick to my 200 feet for now, slowly encroach on the lawn 50 feet at a time so hubby doesn't really notice, and plant whatever I like, whereever I like, whenever I like.

14 comments:

  1. Conservation is a good thing! I would love to be part of such a project (we do not have such thing here :-(). But I wonder what kind of plants that they wanted to conserve. Trees, shrubs, herbs? Your garden will fit the requirements? Can apply for approval first? Attend seminar to gather all the interesting information to show your husband.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I guess I am lucky, Ian doesn't care how much lawn leaves our garden. Of course, this is our third garden together, and both of the previous two had no lawn in the end. Since I cut the grass, it is in my best interests to get rid of as much grass as possible.
    I don't know what you can do to convince your husband. Unless it is appealing to the financial advantage of doing it this year with a rebate, or doing it a few years down the road, with no rebate.
    Good Luck!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wendy, do think about it more carefully. Is removing a portion of the lawn worth the trouble? My lawn is low maintenance but the extra plants are not. I mean, I need to weed, cut, prune, water, fertilize,replant and remove the dead... If I can handle this on my own, hubby part won't be difficult. In my family, nobody gardens except me. A member (with tongue) see only the dead leaves and complain and nag, while another (a biology undergraduate) don't even know I have flowers in my garden! Luckily hubby tolerated my hobby.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Your husband sounds like a sweetheart. I have one of those too, and usually after the first shocked reaction to a seemingly drastic idea, he pretty much comes around on his own...especially if he sees that it is something I really want.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I think you and your husband could compromise with a line of plants called "Stepables". They are ground covers that can be stepped on, so your husband could keep the feel of a lawn where he can hang out. Houstonia caerula "Bluets" is a native variety of Stepables. Here's the link:http://www.stepables.com/store/scripts/prodView-plants.asp?idproduct=57
    Good Luck!

    ReplyDelete
  6. That really got me thinking.... What does Kakdah really think of me?... huh. Not that it matters...

    Good luck to the lawn adventure...

    ~bangchik

    ReplyDelete
  7. I think moving at it a little at a time might be better, esp. as it keeps hubby happy. Besides you don't want to be overwhelmed by all the new chores.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Autumn Belle and Mary Delle - you're probably right about the additional work. I just noticed today all the weeds in the woodland garden. I was excited for a moment from afar b/c it looked lush and green - until I realized there were huge weeds in there!

    Joel - I've seen the Steppables at garden centers. Will definitely consider them !

    Bangchik - she probably thinks you're insane but loves you nonetheless! :)

    Stephanie - I'm not sure I would fit the plan's 3/4 native plants. Probably would, but I don't have time to be trying to match it all up. I would rather the freedom to plant how I would like. It's not like I'm planning an orchid, bamboo, and cactus garden in my zone 5/6 garden.

    Ricki- you're right about the initial shock. He is flexible enough to grow with an idea!

    Deborah - financially??? probably not really. The cost of finding the 500 feet right now is like saying that going to Costo and spending $500 is saving money. I mean, kiiiinnndaaa, but...

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think you are smart to do it on your own. Who needs rules in YOUR garden? Besides, if you work these plants in slowly, your husband will hardly notice you have more garden than lawn. He sounds like a good guy! Can't wait to see photos of this expansion.
    ps. The tatoo is fine. funny you should ask, he had it colored in today so it is complete except for a touch up. How can I complain, it's a garden on his arm. I would prefer a photo on the wall, but hey you can't get everything you want. He's a good guy, tha's all that really matters. Thanks for asking.


    s
    s

    ReplyDelete
  10. A girl after my very own heart! You be the BOSS, Wendy! I remind hubby he should appreciate that I've provided more free time as he spends less time on the mower, everytime I expand a planter..lol!
    Every single tree in my yard (there's 10!) has a planter around it...some round, oval, kidney shaped! Now you know why I'm always weeding!

    Put your pretty little foot down, woman! and remind him if you're happy, he's happy! He wants to make it to your 14th anniv. doesn't he...haha!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Teresa, that tattoo screams blog post!

    Lynn - right on!

    ReplyDelete
  12. oh, and maybe if I start doing plantings around the tree, those areas could get bigger and bigger, and eventually bleed into the other beds until I have my 500feet!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hehe, your husband and mine sound a lot alike. :o) Good for you for deciding to wait and do everything on your own terms - it'll probably turn out much better in the end that way!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Wendy,
    I clicked on your name from a comment you made on someone else's blog. I just enjoyed reading your posts on this page. I had to comment here, because I have been expanding my growing space over time, too. My husband has resisted this, more with some areas than others. He grew up here, so I guess he feels he has to approve what I do. I've had to include certain plants in order for him to agree to dig a new area. He also says he doesn't like the look of dirt in the winter. Well, he has finally eased up. I am planting what I want, and some of the plants he wanted aren't doing that well, plus, he doesn't even remember now which ones they were, so I am planning some reworking of my beds.

    Also, I had to laugh about the idea of applying for the money. I may have been tempted to do that, but, like you, I want to make the decisions of what goes where. We live on a corner lot, and have had people comment on how nice things look as they go by.

    Even though I do garden for my own pleasure, there is part of me that wants the recognition of our neighborhood organization's yard of the month. People I know have gotten it, and my yard is nicer than theirs. Just last night, my husband was reading the association newsletter, and saw that our next door neighbors will be getting the yard of the month sign in the spring. How can they make that decision already? Plus, the next door neighbors don't even garden! They have a few things they don't even take care of. They let weeds grow all over the place, and I am fighting some kind of spready thing that came into my compost area from their yard. I know they will be embarrassed, because they know my yard is better cared for. Plus, a lot of the plants they have in their back yard came from me.

    I hope you don't mind me venting here. I am so looking forward to spring and doing my own thing. I think I'll extend the side of the area next to the house by a few inches, too.

    ReplyDelete

My awesome gardening friends...thanks for leaving a comment! I don't typically repond here, but I love knowing who you are so I can visit your blog as well.

btw - if you're trying to show me nude Miley Cyrus photos, sell me nikes or viagra or antibiotics, or encourage my lovely garden readers to visit your site on solar panel construction, or seo-whatevers, sorry, but I'm not publishing your comment. If you want to moderate my blog - well, I can't keep you too busy, and the pay would be horrible. And lastly, no. I'm not interested in Club Penguin cheat codes. Thanks anyway.

Related Posts with Thumbnails