This house at 910 Walker Avenue, between Tate and Mendenhall Streets is a vintage beauty. For having been built in 1906, it still maintains quite a bit of charm over a century later. Although it has a yard that looks overgrown, as you walk by, the yard has the feel of a micro-prairie. Not all cultures and not all decades favored the manicured lawns that are expected in many neighborhoods today.

Urban micro prairies are valuable green space because they attract native insects and pollinators.* As Greensboro and Guilford County lose more and more land to housing developments, it is crucial that we be purposeful with flora to help fauna. The more prairie-like spaces with wildflowers, shrubs, and trees, also help with erosion and help lower temperatures in the summer. As fall rolls in, if you are considering planting, consider adding some native plants to your yard. If you want inspiration, seek out yards like 910 Walker Avenue and see them close up. Hurry, before old-man winter keeps us inside!

*reference and more information here. Also, NC State and NC A&T can help with making lawns attractive without over-relying on grass (see, here).