2026 June 20 Right to Garden Lakewood

The front yard garden has been an evolution as I learned more about native plants. I highly value every inch of the little bit of land I care for and I’m learning as I go. 

The front yard continues to evolve.

Last year, Lakewood proposed an ordinance to “support front yard gardens”. I was excited and then disappointed that the “support” was actually demanding that I re-turf 1/3 of the square footage I had cultivated over the last 6 years with pollinator plants. This set me into action, and it’s still a journey I’m committing to. Native plants deserve to exist on my property. It’s what is best for the ecosystem and our community. 

You can learn more about the struggle in the YouTube video below where I led a virtual discussion with Wild Ones Greater Cleveland about the issue we are facing.

Advocacy in Action: Right to Garden Lakewood on YouTube. Click above to see the discussion.

Lakewood isn’t the only city over-regulating private gardens. This is happening everywhere that traditional aesthetics are challenged in favor of better ecological landscaping practices. The bottom line is that when we know how to do better, we should. 

Every city is different, so there isn’t a blanket ordinance that would work everywhere. For example, in a city with large front yards, a 2’ setback doesn’t affect the overall square footage as much as a city with tiny front yards like Lakewood. My ability to cultivate 400 square feet was reduced to less than 300 square feet overnight when the ordinance passed. Below are some resources for working with cities as well as a link to the Facebook group Right to Garden Lakewood.

National Wildlife Federation

https://www.nwf.org/-/media/Documents/PDFs/Mayors-Monarch-Pledge/NWF-Landscaping-Guide.pdf

Wild Ones

https://wildones.org/native-plant-ordinance/

Right to Garden Lakewood Facebook Group

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DrZLNTe9s/?mibextid=wwXIfr

I’m choosing to see this as an opportunity for greater discussions about landscaping with native plants. I know my garden is not everyone’s idea of beauty. Everyone should plant what they see fit. I’m advocating for everyone to have the right to garden on their own property, as long as it doesn’t do harm to the environment.