Quote:
Originally Posted by BackyardFarm
I would smother the grass using newspaper, cardboard, plastic, or landscape fabric. Then this fall you can pull it up and sow your wildflower seed mix.
The other option is to put in a prairie. So you'd mow your grass very low and then plant prairie and native flowers you buy or start yourself. It will end up being a mix of grasses and flowers.
You can also buy a low growing wildflower/prairie flower "lawn" mix you can mow.
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This is what I was going to say. I also second (3rd?) what Karen said about mixed 'wildflower' packets. I make my own mix, or just put down singles of ones I like. Mostly black eyed Susan since it's cheap (I already have lots of native goldenrod out there). wildflower.org has a nice search for particular varieties that are native to your area.
As for the fern patch with no grass. Is it in a shady area? You will need to look for plants that can grow there. There is probably a reason there is no grass.
And to highlight Karen's 2nd point, an apple tree or if you want something easier a native plum or June berry(service berry). June berry also blooms really early so it can give them food when there isn't much else around. And then you can have berries in June. (or let the birds have them)
I have about 3/4 acre or so behind the creek that I am working on making into a butterfly/bee/hummingbird/prairie garden. It's so large that it's hard to do the regular smothering methods with it so I am just over seeding. Every year (really early spring and fall preferably) I go out and spread a bunch of native flower seeds. We already have native grasses which make up a large part of the prairie. I also mow it in the spring to knock down the non-native fast growing stuff and give the natives a chance. If I could I would do a prairie burn. Maybe someday I will.