Why People Are Switching Their Lawns to a Clover Lawn

18.08.2023 - 11:17 / thespruce.com / Ashley Chalmers

Recently, people have been exploring new ways to grow and cultivate their backyards, often with their local ecosystem in mind. As a result, we’ve seen a rise in meadowscapes and other options that attract pollinators, and one great new suggestion is a clover lawn rather than a grass lawn.

Because we were curious how clover lawns work—and how best to begin growing one—we turned to an expert to get her thoughts.

Paige Boyle is a PhD Candidate and science expert at Sunday Lawn Care.

Before deciding if a clover lawn is right for you, it’s key to know what, exactly, a clover lawn is. According to Paige Boyle of Sunday Lawn Care, there are actually two types of clover lawn options. The first is a clover-only lawn, and the second is a lawn that’s made up of clover and grass.

While clover lawns might feel like they’re suddenly taking off, Boyle says that mixed clover and grass actually used to be the norm.

“Clover was included in many grass seed mixtures to provide nitrogen to the grass,” she says. Unfortunately, once herbicides became more prevalent, a lot of homeowners shifted to grass-only lawns. Luckily, people are realizing there are benefits to incorporating clover.

“Now that homeowners and turfgrass managers are becoming more environmentally conscious, clovers are coming back to the lawns," Boyle says.

Johner Images / Getty

Whether you go with an all-clover lawn or a mix of clover and grass, Boyle says clover lawns provide pollinator food and a natural source of nitrogen to a lawn. Clovers are legumes, which, according to Boyle, means they have roots that convert nitrogen from the air into a form that can be used by plants. Ultimately, this can result in a reduction of fertilizer use—and the flowers are great food