By Abigail Haddock, The Frugal Fraulein

A few years ago I was cutting my front lawn and had an epiphany: What if I could grow food instead of spending my time and money simply mowing the lawn? I do not enjoy mowing the lawn. It is good exercise, but is it a good use of my time? No! 

That was it. I was determined to transform the front lawn into an edible landscape. The quality of the grass had never been great, but the quality of weeds and moss was excellent. When I dug a test hole, it was full of rocks, roots and poor soil. I was stumped as to where to begin.

Luckily, my neighbor had taken a class sponsored by the local County Extension Master's Gardeners on edible landscapes. She came back  with information on how to take out your front lawn and transform it into edible garden space. We worried that our yards would look terrible and our neighbors would be upset, but we agreed to work together and meet neighborhood resistance with the strength of numbers.

The process was not as bad as I expected. 

First we laid down layers and layers of brown cardboard to cover the areas where we would be removing grass. (We collected the cardboard from recycle bins and the loading dock of a local hospital.) The cardboard effectively shuts out the sunlight, so the grass, weeds,and moss gradually die off and the cardboard eventually mulches. The cardboard was free except for the sweat labor, so this step did not cost any money.

We then built raised garden boxes to place on top of the cardboard, using wood collected form construction site dumpsters, the local salvage supply organization, and pallets. The cost of the wood and screws was under $20.

Next, we lined the yard with black landscape plastic around the raised garden beds, covering the cardboard. We were given two large rolls left over from a large landscaping job. What a gift that was! We used stakes and u pins to hold down the black plastic so it would stay put.

We then filled the raised garden boxes with a combination of mushroom compost, garden soil mixture and rock dust. This is a good mix for garden beds and ends up light and fluffy to support the growth of plants. The garden mix was approximately $17 per yard and I needed two yards. I had bought the bag of rock dust years ago and since it takes such a small amount to side dress a box it probably cost less than a dollar.

Finally, we dumped pea gravel on top of the black plastic and raked it out to a depth of about 3-4 inches. The pea gravel effectively keeps the black plastic down and discourages new growth of weeds. It is very attractive and reduces the amount of weeding that would have to be done. Now walking in the garden is like walking on a beach.

The edible garden is now in its fourth year. There are eight raised garden beds, one circular flower garden in the middle of the beds and a 40-foot strip of raspberries. The garden beds are a combination of vegetables and flowers, and now the front yard is a stopping place for people walking up the street. 

It has been a labor of love but one well worth the effort. Instead of mowing grass, I pick rhubarb, onions, strawberries, raspberries, zucchini, an herb garden, tomatoes, broccoli, artichokes and greens. The flowers include large sunflowers, roses, Echinacea, black-eyed Susan’s, hollyhocks, spring bulbs, marigolds, ornamental grasses and more. It is truly a sight to behold.

The cost was around $70, which is a very inexpensive overhaul of a front yard.  

This year I plan to add more raised beds and expanding the raspberry row. I now have an established edible landscape that is attractive, country cottage like, whimsical, and fruitful.

I have added a white picket fence around the perimeter of the front yard, completing the look. Instead of an eye sore, I now have the nicest front yard on the block. And the best part? The garden is edible so and I am doing my part to reduce my carbon footprint, eat locally, and maintain a sustainable garden. 

As The Frugal Fraulein I invite you to visit my blog  for more information, pictures of my edible landscape and tips on frugality.