Clover Lawns

When I think of all the lawns I’ve known, I get pretty tired.

I’ve nursed spotty lawns with quilting-square patches of good and bad grass. I’ve pampered thirsty lawns that never seemed satisfied, always demanding more. I’ve re-seeded an entire lawn, only to find that it never looked as full as I would have liked. And with help, I have re-sodded a lawn, worrying each day that it might dry out along the edges and leave yellow lines of failure for everyone to see. But Clover lawns… now they’re something I can get my back behind, without a breaking back and sore muscles all around.

Clover lawns are well-accepted and even admired by today’s gardeners. The egg-shaped leaves of Clover—much broader than thin blades of grass—fill areas quite rapidly. The Clover, or Trifolium, takes hold well and can be trampled by normal foot traffic, hardly showing distress. Clover lawns allow the gardener to avoid chemical products that those grass-only lawn-keepers often end up using. And face it, unless you need a golfcourse-quality stretch of land surrounding your home, the more textured look of a Clover lawn will work just fine for you… and thankfully, for me.

Trifolium has always popped up as part of my lawn, naturally settling in even when I haven’t planted it. But those who have truly beautiful Clover lawns start with a fairly clear patch of earth and start fresh with one of a wide variety of different types of Trifolium. There is a Trifolium for every plant lover: variegated with cream on green, sporting red stripes, appearing as if it has dark eyes… so many different looks, each with potential for filling a sizable patch of land quite beautifully.

The benefit of a Clover lawn is a reduced need for watering. Trifolium will handle as much water as you feel like giving it, but it can also handle periods of drought… fuss-free, easy-growing. Mowing can be spread out, more so than with a traditional lawn, as Trifolium tends to be a low-grower that maintains a desirable height without excessive trimming. And while Clover provides a good food source for bunnies and other garden visitors, they never seem to turn it into a mess. They do some trimming, they remove some of the puffy blooms that spring up (actually a desirable thing, for a true "lawn" look)… but the Trifolium stays very presentable, even after they’ve had their meal. 

I must say that I am not yet brave enough to participate in “no mow May”. I want my lawn to look more like a welcome mat than an experiment, even if the experiment is a worthy one. And I have seen wildflower lawns that are appealing but… well, a little too much. But a Clover lawn is within my realm, allowing me to feel confident that my home is surrounded by a living carpet that is not only easy to care for but also attractive and traditional enough.