Grass Kit for Easy Lawn Conversion (5 x 5 ft)

A 5x5 ft matrix of native grasses — the structural backbone for converting a patch of lawn into a pocket prairie or pocket pollinator garden. This is just the grasses (17 plugs total); it's designed to leave you plenty of open pockets to fill in with flowering natives of your choice (forbs not included).

Full sun to part sun, dry to average soil.
 
What's included (17 plugs):
Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) — x3 plugs
Purple Lovegrass (Eragrostis spectabilis) — x5 plugs
Sideoats Grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) — x9 plugs

Little Bluestem — An upright, architectural grass that stays blue-green through summer and turns a beautiful copper-red in fall, holding fluffy seedheads well into winter. It's the architectural backbone of the design — plant it where you want height and structure.
 
Purple Lovegrass — Short, forming a neat clumps that sends up airy, cloud-like pink-purple seedheads in late summer. It's the softening layer — plant it low, in front of or around taller neighbors.
 
Sideoats Grama — A fine-textured, warm-season grass with distinctive seedheads that add movement without too much height. It's the matrix-builder — repeat it throughout the planting to create cohesion between the other species and any forbs you add.

Why use plugs for native grasses?
For a dense matrix planting, plugs are often the most practical choice for both cost and spacing. Their young, compact root systems establish quickly and begin growing into the surrounding soil with relatively little transplant shock. Because they take up less room, plugs can also be planted more closely, helping the matrix knit together sooner.
 
They’re quick and easy to install, too. Use an auger bit to make a small hole, tuck in the plug, firm the soil, and move on with minimal disturbance. This makes it possible to plant a larger area efficiently and densely without paying quart-size prices.

Why This Grass Matrix Planting Approach Works
Think of the grass matrix as the foundation of the planting. Establishing it first makes weeds easier to spot and remove because anything that doesn’t belong stands out against the consistent grassy backdrop. It also takes some pressure off the design process—you don’t have to choose every flowering species on day one! Instead, you can let the grasses establish, observe how the site behaves, and gradually add drifts of native flowers over time.

In the meantime, the grasses are already doing important work. They act as a living green mulch, shading and protecting the soil, reducing opportunities for weeds to establish, and improving soil structure through their deep, fibrous root systems. They also create habitat and provide the year-round framework that holds the planting together.

As you begin weaving flowering perennials into the matrix, you get the best of both worlds: waves of seasonal blooms layered over a long-lasting grass structure. The flowers change throughout the year, while the grasses provide continuity, texture, movement, and winter interest—even after the blooms have faded.

The result is a more natural, dynamic, and resilient planting that continues to evolve and become more beautiful with each passing season.