Swapped my lawn for clover and my neighbor thinks I lost my mind

I finally got tired of pushing my old gas mower around every Saturday, so back in April I killed off half my front yard and planted white clover instead. The seed cost me like 12 bucks for a big bag at the local hardware store in Portland. I figured it would look messy and I'd get complaints, but honestly it's been way less work than grass. The clover stays short on its own, so I've only mowed twice in four months, and my water bill dropped by about 30 bucks a month since it doesn't need much watering. Plus the bees love it, which is cool but my neighbor Karen keeps yelling that it's a weed patch. I'm thinking about doing the whole backyard next spring, but I'm wondering if anyone else has dealt with this sort of backlash from their HOA or neighbors? How do you explain that a lower-maintenance yard is actually better for the environment?

2 comments

2 Comments

gavin_clark13d ago

HOA giving you crap? My buddy in Beaverton got fined for something similar. His association claimed clover attracts rodents. Did Karen actually say why she's mad, or is it just the look? Wondering if there's a city ordinance issue lurking under all that denial.

torres.jason13d ago

Gosh, that's a tough spot to be in, sorry you're dealing with all that nonsense.