Herb lawn, ornamental lawn or meadow – what suits the garden?

Choosing the right garden landscaping is not just a matter of taste, but also of ecological awareness. While a traditional ornamental lawn primarily serves us humans, near-natural areas reduce resource consumption and provide valuable habitats for beneficial animal species.

Yes, a well-maintained lawn makes a statement. The green carpet invites you to play, relax, or simply contemplate. Its lush green radiates a pleasant sense of calm and promotes our well-being.

Maintenance: To keep it lush, it needs to be mowed, fertilized, and aerated regularly. This costs time, money, and energy – depending on the season, the lawnmower alone is used once or twice a week. In addition, according to the German Lawn Society, a lawn needs up to five millimeters of water per day.

Ecological impact: A healthy lawn can help cool the environment, reduce greenhouse gases, and produce vital oxygen – but only if it is adequately watered. In terms of biodiversity, however, it doesn't contribute as much: An ornamental lawn usually consists of only a few grass species, which has a direct impact on wildlife: Insects, small mammals, and birds find virtually no food or shelter there. Pollinators such as wild bees, which are essential for a healthy ecosystem, are especially deprived of the flowerless area.

Conclusion: The classic lawn is beautiful to look at and has a wide range of uses, but it requires a lot of care and resources and its ecological impact is rather limited.

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The natural green space is bursting with native flowers and grasses. While it's difficult to play football in a wildflower meadow, it fascinates with an impressive sea of ​​flowers that is constantly changing. Delicate early bloomers are followed in summer by a true spectacle of color: bright red poppies, purple bluebells, snow-white daisies, and brilliant blue cornflowers create a natural work of art. Even in autumn and winter, the structurally rich variety of grasses and seed heads delights the eye.

Maintenance: Creating a wildflower meadow requires some patience, but later it will take care of itself. Unlike with grass, the soil should be as lean and loose as possible. A mix of annuals and perennials saves work by ensuring a long-lasting variety of flowers. Once established, the meadow will thrive on its own and require little human intervention. Mow once or twice a year, and you're done.

Ecological impact: Wildflower meadows are a true paradise for flora and fauna. Up to 50 different plant species can grow in just a few square meters, which in turn attract a multitude of beneficial insects. Bees, bumblebees, butterflies, and the like find a rich buffet here, as well as nesting opportunities. This also attracts birds and small mammals such as field mice and hedgehogs. This creates a complex food web that multiplies biodiversity in the garden. Wildflower meadows also have an underground effect: They improve soil structure and help retain water and nutrients.

Conclusion: Once established, the wildflower meadow is an easy-care hotspot for biodiversity and a true feast for all the senses.

If you want to promote more biodiversity in your garden but still want to use your green space, herb lawn is the perfect compromise: The medium-height growing mixture of wild herbs and grasses is similarly walkable to a lawn and almost as colorful and diverse as a wildflower meadow.

Maintenance: Compared to an ornamental lawn, a herb lawn requires significantly less maintenance and, unlike a wildflower meadow, doesn't require any special planting. The BUND (German Garden Association) recommends simply doing nothing for a while—i.e., don't mow, fertilize, or water the existing lawn—and the first herbs like clover, self-heal, wild thyme, and cowslip will soon appear. From now on, only use the mower with the highest setting possible and, above all, mow infrequently; four to eight times a year is perfectly sufficient.

Ecological impact: The mix of flowering grasses and wild herbs creates much-needed habitats and food sources for insects, especially pollinators. Deep-rooted herbs also loosen the soil, promoting its natural aeration and structure. The result: It retains much more moisture and is significantly more drought-resistant than conventional lawns.

Conclusion: The herbal lawn is an easy-care middle ground for a walkable, ecologically valuable green area in the garden.

If you don't want to transform your entire lawn into a wildflower meadow or herb lawn, you can also sow or leave individual patches of grass, then simply mow around them and maintain your garden as usual. This way, the area's well-maintained appearance is maintained while simultaneously doing something good for the soil, microclimate, and biodiversity.