A neighbor to the East wrote at 2009-09-26 20:22:

I think that your native garden is OK. I pass it several times per day, in my car, on my bike and on foot. I like your variety of plants. Even as an avid gardener, I often note plants that are new to me. Your landscape is benefitting nature. You should not be quick to yield to convention and the complaints of others. If the Village and your neighbor(s) persist in complaining then perhaps you should counter with a request that they work to mitigate the nearly 200 lbs. of herbicides and pesticides that each of our neighbors put on their patch of lawn annually in an attempt to attain an envious patch of acceptable turf - you know the stuff that children and pets can't walk on for a period post application. Please note that I would compete the look of my yard against any 4-Step Scotts fan(my lawn is maintained using only organic materials). If the Village and your unhappy neighbor are persistent, I suggest that you do the minimum required to meet Village code (as published and in force). I would hope that the Village and your neighbor(s) have greater worries that the height of your wild flowers. Keep your native garden!

Long-term resident of the Gingerbrook subdivision wrote at 2009-09-27 08:36:

What I like - the fact you provide an alternative to the myth that a suburban (Bartlett) lawn must resemble a professional ball field to be accepted.

What I dont like - at times I think that you could use a little more color in the landscape.

Some comments to your notes -

I have a neighbor who spend Hours each weekend - Whacking, Mowing, Edging and Blowing; I'm guessing the serenity of your garden would make for a better weekend companion.

Flagstones, per the Village, are a hazard? I would offer to remove your flagstones, Only after every brick monument mailbox (located along various Village parkways) is addressed as a similar hazard. I would sooner slip over your flagstones then into a brick-encrusted mailbox.

If Village Codes must be adhered to, then direct the Village's concern away from your native garden to the more problematic issues of cars parking over Village sidewalks (a greater safety issue than some tall prairie grasses on your boulevard); and the matter of Village residents parking on the streets of town absent Village Vehicle stickers. Many, many citations could be issued for the two noted issues. Not certain what fines you are being threatened with, but each resident who has chosen not to purchase a sticker (in violation of Village code)should pay the Village $30.

Long-term Village resident living nearby wrote at 2009-09-27 17:38:

While your zeal for native gardening is admirable I do object to the parkway growth. What you plant or what you grow in your yard is up to you. What I think is that your choice of landscape would be best left to open spaces where the largest majority of your neighbors are not required to "enjoy" your tastes. A compromise, if that is what you seek might be to take the "native" flowers/grasses out of the parkway and replace with "native stone" (as in the Southwestern landscape style). By the way I am pretty certain that a homeowner would not be allowed to place a fence or any other obstacle covering the entire parkway at the height of your native garden.

I am curious about the city ordinances of lawn maintenance and why your situation is different. If a homeowner should let their grass grow too long even if they did not apply 200 lbs. of herbicides and pesticides, I believe the Village can mow the area at the expense of the homeowner. I'm not sure that maintaining a lawn that may appear as "the myth that a suburban (Bartlett) lawn must resemble professional ball field" but my neighbor and countless others use no water, no chemicals, and only a weekly mowing.

neighbor wrote at 2009-09-29 16:09:

I agree with your concept of going green. However, I find it difficult to walk down the sidewalk without coming in direct contact with the plants. I would like to know if this is a restoration of a prairie, when and how are you going to get rid of the invasive and unwanted plants? I don't think you can do a burn so are you going to turn over the soil? I also think that it would look ok if you had put more design into it. It looks like you just plopped a plant here and there. I'm constantly getting comments from visitors who ask "What's with your neighbors yard? Is that house in foreclosure?"

Passerby wrote at 2009-09-29 21:11:

You note that you planted your native landscape in part to avoid mowing and yardwork. Perhaps an alternative option would be the use of ground covers like ivy or other low growing ground covers, perhaps even juniper evergreens, though the ivy would be quick and easy. I do agree with two of the previous postings, the plantings do reach out over the sidewalk and you could use a little more color and structure (less of a plopped look). At lease your not adding to the balance of lawn chemicals used in the neighborhood (every other house seems to have the little warning flag indicating a recent application of weed and feed, crabgrass preventer, fertilizer, bug-b-gone and other to help get that acceptable lawn.

Someone wrote at 2009-10-01 14:10:

I think your yard is the most ugliest eye-sore ever. If i was your neighbor i would be selling my house so fast. I guess it just comes down to pure laziness because you don't want to take care of your yard like everybody else. I hope the town makes you rip it down because it is just plain ridiculous.It doesn't even look one bit nice, and we are supposed to take pride in our yards ,i guess except for the LAZY people on Francine Drive.