On June 15, 2024, join Missouri Organic Recycling’s Stan Slaughter for the Climate Friendly Yard Makeover Tour. From 9am-2pm, you have the opportunity to look and learn as you tour three properties in the Kansas City Metro with Stan Slaughter. LEARN HOW TO JOIN THIS TOUR.
Climate Friendly Yard Makeover
On Earth Day 2022, Missouri Organic Recycling chose the “winners” of their Climate Friendly Yard Makeover for three Kansas City Metro yards. More than 100 had responded with a makeover vision and why they needed MO Organic Recycling’s help. Each location had different challenges and goals for the property.
- A common use area in an HOA with a vision of shared space, community garden and native plants.
- A food forest, pollinator garden and raised bed gardens.
- A native plant landscape that was inviting to humans and pollinators.
Of course, using Missouri Organic Recycling’s soil restoring products and mulches were a key factor in creating success stories in each yard. On the Tour, you will look at lovely lawns, gardens, trees, and shrubs. You will learn how to successfully restore or create climate friendly spaces in your yard.
Stop #1 – Seeds of Life Garden
Seeds of Life Garden in Lees Summit is a renovation of 2 vacant lots in a sub division. The main goals behind the decision to take on this project were to demonstrate what is possible on urban, vacant ground and to share the experience with our neighborhood, city and beyond! With no water service and the prohibition of fencing due to FEMA flood regulations, the lots are not a typical yard. A major challenge at Seeds of Life is removing invasive Bermuda grass because it’s on the curb strip of both lots meaning it can escape and spread.
The plans called for creating swales to redirect and hold water where it is needed, a food forest, community garden, and plenty of native plants for the pollinators. One big goal of Seeds of Life Garden is to educate. Join us on Stop #1 to look at all of this and you learn about using swales to redirect water, native/pollinator friendly plants, community gardens and food producing trees & shrubs.
Stop #2 – Krystle’s Food Forest
Restoring her yard from years of neglect, Krystle wanted to create an outdoor environment for her family. This included a food forest, raised bed gardens and a small pollinator garden. The biggest challenge at Krystle’s property was removing the invasive winter creeper and Japanese honeysuckle in the back yard and three large trees in the front yard.
This is a large corner property that is actually 3 lots. The invasive plants have all been removed inspiring their neighbor to do the same. The trees were also removed. You will look at the Food Forest which consists of fruit trees both inside and outside of their fence. Also, a barrier of hazelnuts and ninebark bushes were planted. The pollinator garden and raised beds are thriving. As you look, you will see all of this and learn how you can create these transformations in your yard. Join us on Stop #2 to hear about Krystle’s journey.
Stop #3 – Jennifer’s Front Yard Gardens
Invasive Burning bushes (euonymus) lined this yard. There was an overgrown fence line, ragged trees and a lawn neglected for decades. The goals were to develop a garden design with a full and layered garden, formal in design restoring the existing trees and lawn.
This design called for 700 plants and 29 varieties. There were three separate planting zones with significant pollinator and carbon-sequestering impacts. The tree zones are a Driveway Prairie, a Sidewalk Grove, and a lush Sidewalk Woodland. This design was implemented. You will see how it looks and learn how it was done. Don’t be discouraged by the immensity of this project. Jennifer continues to expand her growing areas each year all on her own. Join us on Stop #3 to hear her strategies.
LEARN HOW TO JOIN THIS TOUR
Whether you are all in for the entire Missouri Organic Recycling Climate Friendly Yard Tour or you just want to see one of these demonstration properties, you will certainly LOOK at some amazing yards AND LEARN how you can start your journey to a climate friendly yard!
