Year one
It sleeps
Sod comes off, soil is improved and plugs go in. Plants put energy into roots. Expect gaps and plenty of mulch, and water weekly through the first summer.
Native & drought-tolerant gardens
Plants that already know about chinooks
Prairie natives evolved for dry summers, hard frost and sudden thaws. Planted well, they need little water once established and feed the bees and birds that live here.
Why they suit Calgary
Our climate is hard on thirsty gardens
~420 mm
of precipitation a year, much of it as spring snow and June storms. Summers can go weeks without rain.
Zone 4a
Calgary's hardiness zone. Many nursery perennials sold here are only reliable in warmer zones.
20°C swings
A winter chinook can warm the city by twenty degrees in a day, then freeze again. Crowns that wake early get burned.
~115 days
between the last and first frost in a typical year. Plants that flower fast and early make the most of it.
Prairie natives we plant
A working palette, not a wish list
We buy from Alberta growers who propagate native plants from local seed where they can. These are the ones we reach for most.
Xeriscape & pollinator beds
Dry gardens that still look generous
Xeriscape here doesn't mean rocks and a lone juniper. We build deep, layered beds of drought-tolerant perennials and grasses, grouped by how much water they want, with gravel or wood mulch to hold moisture in.
- Plants grouped by water need, so the hose only goes where it's needed
- Something in flower from April to October for bees and butterflies
- Seed heads left standing in fall for birds and winter shape
- Clay soil opened up with compost before planting, not covered with fabric
Front-yard lawn conversions
From mowing to meadow, honestly
A lawn conversion takes more than one summer to look its best. Here's what to expect, so nobody is disappointed in July of year one. Most front-yard conversions run $6,500 to $14,000 for plan, sod removal, soil, plants and mulch.
Year two
It creeps
Clumps fill out and the bloom chart starts to read true. Watering drops to dry spells only. A spring cut-back and one weeding visit keep it on track.
Year three
It leaps
The planting closes over the soil and shades out most weeds. From here it needs a cut-back each spring and a drink in a long drought.
Check your community's rules before converting a boulevard strip. We'll tell you what we know, but the City has the final word.
Thinking of losing the lawn?
Walk the yard with us first. We'll tell you how much sun the front really gets, and whether a meadow, a dry garden or a mix suits it.
