We live in a town where “green” isn’t as much about being environmentally friendly, as it is about contests to see who’s lawn looks most like a perfectly manicured golf course.
We don’t play. Pesticides not only aren’t safe for our dogs, but they’d wash into our pond with far reaching consequences for the wildlife who depend on it. So our property has a very, well, um, natural look to it around this time of year.
You have to admit, if you didn’t know what they were, you’d think they were pretty. In another couple of weeks, they’ll all be spent and our lawn will look as green as the next guy’s. In the meantime, we’ll enjoy the sun-kissed look.
When life gives us dandelions, we make dandelion salad.
I love the yellow dandelions! I also love watching all the birds eat the seeds.
That’s so pretty, very happy that you choose to leave them like that.
Ahhhh….the photos of your place look wonderful! I have to admit, after looking at the pictures, I just closed my eyes for a few minutes and imagined lying there on the grass looking up at the sky. We don’t have much of a spring here in Texas so I really miss the spring…including the dandelions…in the midwest, where I grew up.
Thanks for the much needed moment of serenity!
Your yard is beautiful and did you know dandelions make some tasty wines? :)
Yes they are pretty like that and don’t tell my daughter that they’re weeds, all she sees are pretty flowers that she collects by the armfulls.
Nice to be able to appreciate things like that.
Ahh lawnflowers, I don’t even try and beat ’em, just enjoy them. I had milk weeks in my flower beds one year at branding and some women that were there “yard inspecting” tyed ribbons on them.
I love to use milkweed for pillow stuffing. If you hold it in a closed hand, you’ll feel it generate heat.Â
I think you’re lawn looks beautiful!! (and your pond is absolutely splendid).
Dandelion wine is not a joke. I haven’t tried it, but my husband remembers his parents making it when he was a kid.
Thanks Dori. We’re kinda fond of the place. Yeah, I thought I’d heard of dandelion wine before too, so I did look it up and found a pretty simple recipe.
Glad to hear ’bout your neighbors and thanks for the tip on the comment!
I should have mentioned that when I talk about the nearest neighbors, I’m talking 1/4 to 1/2 mile away. I live on a country road where the horse farms outnumber the homes. So the “rustic” look fits right in on my road. But turn the corner down the end and go right, and oh my… the mcmansions are quite a sight! :)Â
Karen,
THAT’s your yard? How beautiful – it’s a dream of mine! I’m so glad you’re not about keeping up with the Joneses. When did people ever decide that a series of manicured lawns should be the preference? I love dandelions (and dandelion salad, though it’s been a long long time since I’ve had any as I’m too afraid to eat the stuff around here)and we blow the fluff everywhere. Do your neighbors complain?
And what plugin are you using that lets you respond to each comment within that comment box?
Hi Barb, I have great neighbors who understand our situation with our dogs and wildlife. If they’re unhappy about it, they’re keeping it to themselves.
WordPress gives you the option of editing all comments, so to add a comment within that comment box I just hit the edit button and type in bold below the original comment.
OMGosh…I think your yard is perfect. I’m “green” with envy! All we have is dirt b/c our yard is so small and they tear it up running around. We tried to plant grass & keep them off it for a few weeks, but their playtime is way more important than grass!
Who wants an astroturf yard anyway????
Ferndoggle & The Dogs
How’s this for ridiculous? I actually know a guy who paid to have astroturf put in for his yard. I kid you not.Â
Your yard is beautiful. Dandelions must be the American equivalent to French poppies, which really are just a weed, too.
Wow! I never knew poppies were weeds. I just love seeing them in your banner. They’re spectacular!Â
We don’t have to walk too far to see something like this – but for you to have it right in your back yard? Mmmm, bliss.
Beautiful pictures. Is there a little boat that you can take on to the
lakepond? Or, is it too small, but just has the illusion of being huge?Hi Rory, the pond isn’t huge, but it’s big enough for an inflatable boat that the kids like to paddle around on.
We’ve taught our girls to eat dandelions – but only when they pick them from yards that look like yours. Honeysuckles too. Your home looks peaceful! Subarctic beat me to the wine joke!
Hey Meg, yes, I’m lucky to have a peaceful home. Oh, the wine is a joke? Darn! :)
We do the same thing. On the summer solstice (or a little before) we pick a bunch, pull off the petals and make dandelion wine. It’s a yummy sweet white wine.
Oh, I hadn’t thought of making wine! Off to look up a recipe… I think I’d have enough here to open a dandelion vineyard! :)Â
What a beautiful property. I loved playing with dandelions as a child, they were one of my favorite “flowers”.
Teetotaled, it’s so true, as children we’re able to love without labels. Flower? Weed? As kids, we loved them all the same.
I’m writing from the desert and I think that looks GORGEOUS!! Wow. What beauty. It’s so green. I’m all for a pesticide-free life (except with the Flies from Hell and the Giant Cockroaches. I’ll admit I like pesticides then)
Planet Nomad, Funny how quickly I could turn to pesticides at the mention of Giant Cockroaches!
I love it! My front lawn looks like the forest primeval and I don’t care!
OMG! Dandelion chains! I forgot all about those!
sadly mine are all ‘fluff’ now..
Yeah, we have some of the forest primeval too, out toward the back. I love the look. And we’re fast approaching the fluff stage here too.Â
We never liked to play in the lawn wars either when we lived down in town. Folks would whine about our longer, shaggier, weedier grass in the early part of summer, then get mad because we had the only green lawn in town in late summer.
Now that we live at the farm, sometimes we mow, sometimes we don’t. Right now the sheep are working at it for me.
And your dandelions are really lovely!
Oh! I’d love to get a couple of sheep! For the amount of lawn we have, it would make a lot of sense..Â
I think that the dandelions add a charm that no perfectly trimmed lawn can beat. I grew up in New York so I’m definitely familiar with having a sea of sunshine yellow in my yard. Here in Texas, there aren’t as many dandelions, but they’re replaced with blue bonnets – a sea of indigo.
 Cole, a sea of indigo would be quite something to see! We have an invasive weed called purple loosestrife, and it’s really beautiful, though thought to be destructive to wet lands.
This is more stunning landscape to my eyes than any manicured lawn could be.
I love dandelions! And I would love to plop myself down in the center of your property and weave dandelion chains for hours!
I hope you thoroughly enjoy(ed) the sunshine in the grass while it lasts!
Thanks kindly for your beautiful comment over at my blog. Your words and encouragement are deeply felt and appreciated.
Jenn, you’d have a grand time here with the dogs playing leap frog in dandelions. And, of course, we’d have to make baskets full of dandelion chains.Â