Over the last several years Benjamin has worked on a variety of lawn-conversion projects, from 2 acres of sown meadow at a university to countless urban front yards. In this diverse presentation, we’ll explore several public and private spaces, how they were designed and implemented, what the management issues have been, and how neighbors (and city code enforcement officers) have responded. This will be a messy discussion, because destabilizing the status quo is inherently complex. Naturalizing lawnscapes takes landscaping to the next level, often becoming an intense and brave collaboration between client, designer, neighbors, and the wildlife that seek refuge where no refuge was before. But there’s nothing more worthwhile than rethinking pretty where we live, work, and play.