The No-Till Approach
Lasagna gardens and lawns
Lasagna gardens do not involve tilling the soil to prepare for planting. Material covers the ground. This stops the growth of the existing vegetation. Sheet mulching, or sheet compost are terms used for Lasagna Gardening.
The basic idea
Cover the ground with clean newspaper, or cardboard. (Meaning minimal tape and staples.) Soak the covering with water. The water helps to start the paper decomposing. It temporarily chokes the existing vegetation of oxygen as well. A layer of green material covers the wet paper. Vegetable scraps, and finished compost work well in this layer. A layer of brown material is next. Leaves and straw are again, good materials for this.
This brown and green layers repeat.
Up to 3 feet high with enough material. The layers decompose as the garden ages. The pile, therefore, becomes smaller as the soil becomes healthier and more productive. Vegetable gardens built in this fashion are great. This method will help lawns being overrun by a noxious weeds as well. Creeping Bell Flower, I’m looking at you.
Hugelkultur is different, but uses the same principle. This technique originates in Germany and eastern Europe. It utilizes fallen timber and other decaying wood debris as a frame. The frame is filled with vegetable scraps, leaf litter and small twigs. Once this cures for some time, it is used as a raised bed.
I have not tried this method myself, however, I know some who have had great success.