Create your urban habitat!
See below for our design process, a bit about our installation methods and a list of FAQs tackling everything from pricing to ongoing management. We highly recommend reading through the FAQ before you reach out!
Our design & installation process
Free Initial Consultation
It all begins with an idea - maybe you want to see more songbirds in your yard, spend less time mowing or really want that epic food garden. Even if you are unsure what you want, we are here to listen and help create your perfect landscape. We will come out to your space and discuss your initial dreams for your landscape after filling out a quick and easy intake form.
Custom Design
What’s next? We create a custom design for your vision using our depth of knowledge of optimal plant health and growth. We create a design packet, full of plants, material options and a representation of what your space will look like. We are always amenable to alterations and partial installations. Our custom designs begin at $300, ensuring our team can dedicate time to your design.
Efficient Installation
Then the fun begins! Our awesome crew installs the agreed upon design. We use organic methods to diminish the lawn and focus on sustainable methods that are the least disruptive to your space as possible. Your landscape will be transformed into much needed habitat and become a space where you can awe in the beauty of our native ecosystems. As the saying goes, ecologically-minded landscapes are not a 'one and done', so we offer ongoing landscape management service.
Why choose Lawn Be Gone
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We use corn-based weed matting and cardboard to eliminate the use of any plastic-based material in all of our installations.
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We do not use any pesticides or herbicides! By using strategic planting methods and plants native to our region, we reduce weeds and increase survivability of plants. Often, our native plants will outcompete weeds but our installs provide a nice, clean reset to help clients start new!
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We up-cycle materials! Not only do we reuse cardboard, we also frequently up-cycle non-toxic debris and other items! Even those pesky, plastic planting pots are reused over and over!
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Our installations are low-carbon emission. We frequently use electric tools and rely on human power instead of heavy machinery. We bury lawns to keep the carbon captured in the ground.
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Every installation will thoughtfully blend your dream design with the makings of a perfect habitat. By incorporating locally-sourced basalt boulders, various-sized river cobble and artistic nurse logs, our habitat creation has depth, beyond just the plants. Our ultimate goal is to increase the viable habitat we have in our community by creating beautiful and functional landscapes.
FAQs
So what do you replace the lawn with?
We specialize in native plant landscaping and creating urban habitats. That being said, we greatly enjoy planting food-scapes and a few ornamentals here and there! We focus on natives due to the high ecological value, the easy growing and maintenance, and the aesthetic of a truly ‘Oregon’ landscape. If you have specific plants you are after, let us know!
How much will it cost?
Generally, you can plan on spending $6 to $12 per square foot that you are hoping to convert. This is just an estimate, as features and invasive plant removal will increase the cost. After visiting your site and discussing your goals, we can typically give a more specific estimate. Our installation process is such that we can scale it to fit almost every size project - from a small parking strip to a large backyard and beyond! A 50% deposit is required after a design and installation plan is agreed upon to hold the place on our calendar.
So, I get my free initial consultation. What happens if I want another one?
If after a design is created and there have been significant changes in the homeowner’s goals, we charge $100/hour for further consultation and design work. The hourly rate has helped customers become an active participant in the design process while ensuring our team can devote adequate time to discussions and design options.
How long does it take for an installation?
Depends! We are pretty efficient, but we do run on person-power! We try to avoid using any heavy machinery due to the impact on the environment, as well as source local materials when possible. We work as quickly as we can to ensure that we do not overstay our welcome!
What can we guarantee in our installs?
As sustainable landscapers, we guarantee a pesticide and herbicide-free installation. We use a variety of methods to ensure plant survivability and resilience against weed establishment. Once the install is done, the responsibility of plant care is immediately transferred to the homeowner, as well as maintenance of the landscape against weeds. In rare cases, if a meaningful volume of plants (at least 50% of a particular species) are lost due to pest, disease, extreme weather, or herbivory within 30 days after planting, Lawn Be Gone will replace those plants at no charge within a reasonable timeframe.
What does ongoing maintenance look like?
With a natural landscape, ongoing maintenance looks a lot different than mowing a lawn! We live in a lush place, meaning weeds will inevitably find their way and want to stay, thanks to birds and the wind. We offer ongoing support to help manage your natural landscape, which includes deep watering, weeding, mulch replacement and general plant check ups! We do not offer maintenance on landscapes that we didn’t design and install, as we are specialists in native plants and often do not hold the same knowledge of ornamental plants.