Kill your lawn
interview with Sophie Pennes, founder of Urban Farms LA and native plant advocate
Sophie Pennes, founder of Urban Farms LA, is a pioneering force in the realm of edible gardening and native plant landscapes. Since 2012, Urban Farms LA has empowered individuals to lead healthier lives through vegetable gardening, emphasizing the profound mental and community benefits of connecting with nature. Sophie spearheads numerous educational initiatives across the greater Los Angeles area, offering free resources on edible gardening and native plants via her company website. She collaborates with Theodore Payne Nursery to teach classes and her gardens have been featured on their annual native plant garden tour. Urban Farms LA has transformed countless homes and some commercial spaces into thriving ecosystems. You can see recent press for Sophie and Urban Farms LA in the LA Times: Front Yard Garden Swaps Grass For Drought Tolerant Native Plants. You can also follow along on Instagram and TikTok.
Urban Farms LA challenges the detrimental practices of industrial agriculture by promoting backyard greenery and food production, emphasizing sustainable methods that benefit both the environment and our communities. Their services extend beyond edible gardens to full landscape projects featuring California native plants, which support local wildlife, conserve water, and reduce pollution. Sophie is an inspiration, dedicated to fostering self-sufficiency and environmental stewardship through the power of gardening. Learn more about her work and the benefits of California native plants at Urban Farms LA.
The title of this interview is "Kill Your Lawn." What do you think is the most compelling reason for people to replace their traditional lawns with native plant landscapes or edible gardens, and how can they get started with this transformation?
To me, the reasons to ditch your lawn are endless. When I sell the concept to potential clients, I try to do so based on what I think they will resonate with them the most. For example, if the client has children I highlight how lawns require constant mowing which contributes to air pollution. Or I mention how children who learn about edible gardening from a young age are more likely to make healthy choices throughout their lives. I really think there is a way in for everyone and the best way to get started is just to have an open mind.
Can you share the story of how Urban Farms LA came to be? Reflecting on your journey from 2012 to now, what achievements or unexpected turns have stood out to you the most?
Absolutely. I have always been extremely interested in nature and animals since I was a child. Our family vacations were usually to national parks and at parties I could be found playing with the host’s dog or cat. That being said, as I grew older I wasn’t really sure what kind of career involved hanging out with animals all day aside from an animal biologist or zoologist.
When it came time to apply for college, I made a huge pivot and decided to study fashion merchandising in New York. I learned quickly that that was not for me and moved back to LA to figure out what to do with my life (I was 19). At that time, I was living with my parents and they removed their lawn to put in garden boxes and grow their own food. I could never have predicted at the time how that decision would change my life. I ended up being out in the garden all day, sometimes 6-8 hours a day. I felt myself completely coming back to life and I was so energized and fascinated by the way that the garden changed from day to day or even hour to hour. The way the plants and animals and weather even was constantly changing. It all felt so alive and in turn, made me feel so alive.
I asked myself why wasn’t *everyone* gardening?! I ended up going back to college for environmental science and then enrolled in a 2 year program at UCLA for horticulture. After I graduated, I applied for so many jobs but couldn’t land a single one. And alas, Urban Farms LA was born.
In terms of achievements or turns that stand out to me the most when looking back at the last decade + of my life, I think from a gardening perspective, the ability to listen to the environment, to problem solve and the willingness to learn from trial and error have been my greatest achievements. From a business perspective, the ability to improvise and pivot when necessary have kept UFLA afloat.
I’m not really sure that answers the question… but I guess if you’re asking about professional achievements, anytime someone tells me that they were going to use plastic turf but then didn’t because they saw something of mine, that feels like such a huge win. And being involved with the Theodore Payne Foundation has been truly a dream come true.
What is the most common request or concern you receive from clients when they first reach out to you?
The most common request from clients is generally “please help us” – and that takes on so many different forms because everyone’s home and garden are so unique. I meet with a lot of first time homeowners who are trying to make a place that they purchased really feel reflective of their tastes and their lifestyles. And a lot of fixing problems that they inherited … like poorly pruned fruit trees or suffocated and overwatered oaks. It’s always a journey ;)
How do you determine the level of involvement you take after the initial landscape installation?
I find that throughout the process, my clients tend to become more and more invested in their garden. I would like to think that our passion rubs off on them a bit. But as a company, we’re always available to help and it’s fun for us to return for regular maintenance and see how our creations grow over time.
Do you have clients who, perhaps before were not interested in gardening, get more involved?
Yes!! Absolutely, that’s my favorite thing ever. I have one client named Vanessa, she’s so wonderful. And when we talked about redoing her backyard several years ago she wanted to forego adding garden boxes but I talked her into it anyway. Fast forward to now, her and her daughter absolutely love growing tomatoes and squash, herbs etc. and she sends me photos every season.
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Many of us might not have many native plants in our yards. For those with existing landscapes but no lawns, what are some of the best ways to introduce native plants or elements that benefit local pollinators?
Great question. I find that a lot of people have no idea that the plants in their yard are not native. Sadly, I even visit people after they’ve had their yard landscaped by someone else and specified wanting native plants and their contractor assured them that the plants used were native but they aren’t. A list of plants commonly found in LA that are not native:
-jacaranda
-bird of paradise
-lavender
-olive trees
-grevillea
-jerusalem sage
-tropical milkweed
-many species of cactus
If you’re reading this and want to start introducing native plant species, I would suggest visiting a native plant nursery like Plant Material, Theodore Payne, or even Anawalt has a native plant section. Don’t go to Home Depot or Lowe’s!
What are some of the immediate effects you've observed in clients' lives after they've transitioned to native plant and edible gardens?
Lower water bills, more birds and more unique species of birds, a greater appreciation for nature, a greater desire to spend time outdoors in their gardens and an increased sense of community. Especially if a client is gardening in their front yard, neighbors tend to start wanting to chat! It’s impossible not to notice a gorgeous garden.
Can you elaborate on the benefits of having an edible garden at home, both for personal well-being and the environment?
Yes! This is partially what I wrote my thesis on in college. From an environmental perspective, our conventional food systems can be extremely damaging to both global greenhouse gas emissions and local ecologies. Large scale agricultural operations, even organic and strictly produce based (not animal ag), contribute to topsoil loss, pesticide and fertilizer usage which trickle down into our waterways and require gas-intensive “food miles” to make it from the farm to the grocery store and then to your table.
From a personal and well-being perspective, growing your own food is such a powerful way to gain autonomy in regards to your health. Fruits and vegetables begin losing nutritional content from the moment they’re harvested which means that the multiple days or weeks your store-bought food spent sitting in sorting bins, traveling on trucks and waiting to be taken home from the supermarket shelf – it was losing potency.
One of my personal favorites and most fun reasons to garden is because of the fun and interesting varieties of vegetables that you can’t often get at the market. I could really talk about this for hours and hours, there is so much to say. But TL;DR grow your own. There are about a million benefits. I would highly recommend Michael Pollan’s “Omnivore’s Dilemma” if you’re interested in learning more.
What are some common challenges people face when starting their own edible gardens or native plant landscapes, and how do you help them overcome these obstacles?
Some common mistakes I see when people start edible gardening have to do with the three pillars of growing food. ***Sun, water, and soil.*** Either too little sun, not enough water, or insufficient soil for their plants to grow.
We always plant our veggies in garden boxes so that we don’t have to amend naturally occurring soil. Don’t fight with your soil! You won’t win!
In order to set people up for success we find a sunny spot (minimum 6 hrs) and make sure we can hook up a dedicated irrigation line for their garden boxes. They have specific watering needs that are incompatible with the rest of a general landscape.
Personally, I really need your help when it comes to growing blueberries. What’s the trick?
Yes!!! Blueberries should not be tricky! They like acidic soil, very fluffy with great drainage. We like to use half wine barrels to plant blueberries in. Blueberries love pots. Remember, don’t fight your soil.
Fill with small bark/ mulch and acidic soil combined. Good drainage is important and partial shade is key, they don’t like being sunburned. Morning sun and afternoon shade is great but the opposite will work as well. Deeply soak a few times a week and fertilize with a granular acid fertilizer in late winter/ early spring, 4-6 weeks later when you see green blueberries, and again in June after harvesting.
Also, REMEMBER TO HAVE MORE THAN 1! They like buddies in order to pollinate properly.
What advice would you give to someone who's just starting out with gardening? Are there any beginner-friendly plants or tips you'd recommend?
Follow Carmen in the Garden ;)
And don’t be afraid to fail! Use your mistakes as a guide. Getting your hands dirty is the best way to learn. The most I ever learned about gardening was not from two years of horticulture classes but from two years that I spent actually gardening. The hands-on experience taught me how and the classes taught me why.
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How can business owners incorporate sustainability practices into their commercial spaces through landscaping and gardening? What are some examples of successful projects you've worked on?
Wow, love this question! I think one of the most effective and best ways to incorporate “sustainable” practices is to listen to the land. I used to joke with one of my employees every time a native plant thrived that “it’s almost like it was meant to live here or something…” – basically meaning that instead of amending your soil or constantly adjusting your watering schedule, just use the right plant in the right place. Don’t try to create a tropical paradise in a mediterranean climate. It’s as easy as that. California native plants are so unbelievably dynamic and beautiful and they will thrive if they just have the chance. :’)
The garden that was profiled for that LA Times piece you mentioned in the intro has yet to be watered this year. We also designed/ planted and currently manage the landscaping at a new restaurant in Westchester called “Tomat” and by using the appropriate native plants, it is absolutely stunning while receiving water only every few weeks.
Check out the work Sophie and Urban Farms LA did at the Kids’ Lot Farm here. They transformed a concrete parking lot into an edible garden for Tomat Kitchen.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals and visions for Urban Farms LA? Are there any upcoming projects or initiatives you're particularly excited about?
Oh jeez, yes. We are actually about to go through some major changes that I can’t share quite yet but I’m hoping they will broaden our impact and continue sharing our message with the community. In terms of future projects, I would love to be able to work on more public spaces because they have the ability to reach more people! We love being able to help individuals and families at home, but so much work needs to be done in LA and also globally so being able to work on a public project like another restaurant or even an apartment building or storefront with green space would be awesome.
Can you tell us more about the educational initiatives you lead and the impact they have on the community?
Yes! I personally am available to teach classes. I have hosted workshops at Fig Earth Supply, Theodore Payne as well as a few private clubs and groups. I also share so much information on our website so that people can take our work and apply it to their own gardens. For example, if you check out the “portfolio” on the UFLA website we share our plant lists as well as placement (sun vs. shade) so that others can use or copy them. We also have a “resources” tab with free PDFs on native plants, starting a garden, the dangers of plastic turf and more. The turf one in particular is available as a 3-fold pamphlet and can be printed and easily shared.
Who or what inspires you in your work with Urban Farms LA? How do you stay motivated and innovative in this field?
Los Angeles as a city is such a huge inspiration for me. I know that sounds kind of cheesy but this is my home, I was born here and grew up here and I feel so strongly that this could be one of the greatest cities in the world if we, as a community, invested in infrastructural changes. We need tree coverage, walkable neighborhoods, and more public spaces for people *and* wildlife.
Every day as I drive to consultations around the city and see landscaping mistakes – covering oak trees in plastic turf, people watering their lawns only to have it all land on the sidewalk, tree topping on main boulevards. There is so much work to be done that it feels impossible to stop now.
Staying innovative is a tough one and I do constantly worry that my designs or views will be considered “old fashioned” one day. But I try to learn from my peers and other designers that I respect. There is always space for improvement.
Thank you so much to Sophie for joining me for today’s newsletter.
So informative! Also I’m shocked lavender isn’t native! 🤯
Great interview!