From Booklist
One alternative to a yard of grass is a meadow filled with flowers, the editor suggests. Another is a yard--if it's in the shade--planted with moss rather than grass, or one planted with ground covers such as periwinkle, Japanese spurge, or English ivy. Sedge lawns are also recommended, although these are best grown in the regions in which they are native. Suggested are catlin, cedar, Pennsylvania, California meadow, or western meadow sedge; these can be left unmowed. For gardeners who prefer the traditional lawn there is information on chemical-free lawns (using a natural fertilizer) and natural insect control. There's a chapter on converting a lawn into a native prairie using grasses and wildflowers. This chapter includes a list of prairie plants for dry, sandy soil, one for medium soil, and one for moist soil. Seventy pages are in color. George Cohen
