We all love a great lawn, right? But there are many reasons to use grass alternatives when designing your front yard landscaping. There is not a single landscaping “plant” that uses more water resources or contributes more for chemical runoff issues than a lawn.
So whether you want to apply more dryness–tolerant landscape, care about water conservation, or just want the best garden design on the block, give these a try exciting alternatives to grass!
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Reasons to go Grass Free
Why would you want to rid your garden of grass? Well, there are a few reasons to go grassless!
Low maintenance
No fuss is needed with many of these lawn alternatives. Whether you’re tired of mowing or watering, using rocks or gravel in place of a grass landscape can save you a lot of hassle after the initial investment to get it all set up. Lawn alternatives can save on your water bill, conserve water, and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers and pest control.
State Regulations or Recommendations
In many states, lawns are outright prohibitions. If you’re planning to move to Nevada, the state requires homeowners to go grass-free by 2027. Some California cities also offer incentives to those who go grass-free.
Local flora
Some people ditch the idea of a flat lawn in favor of landscaping their front yards with native, natural flora, including shrubs and flowers. While some grasses may be part of this, they are usually native to the area and suitable for its climate.
Love the look!
Okay, one last reason to find a new grass alternative could be that you enjoy the look of a rocky, different landscape! There’s no harm in that, and no one can blame you – those grassless lawns are gorgeous!
GRASS ALTERNATIVES – MONDO GRASS
By David Morello in “Houzz“this is a great example of an easy lawn alternative. In this front yard landscape, they used a stone path and surrounded it with a mass planting of Mondo Grass – also known as monkey grass or dwarf liliturf.
This grass, native to East and Southeast Asia, is a perennial ground cover and is evergreen in many climates. It is also drought tolerant once established. It grows in this clump-like form and never needs trimming. Simple, yet highly effective lawn replacement!
Mondo grass tends to thrive in most light and soil conditions and is a slow growing plant that requires minimal maintenance once you have everything in place. While we call it grass, it is actually more closely related to lilies!
When planting this alternative grass, plant clumps about 4-12 inches apart and cover the roots with loose soil. Until it matures, you’ll want to ensure the soil is evenly moist.
DRY RESISTANT WITHOUT TASTE – GRAVEL & STONE
‘Sunset Magazine‘ has a great tutorial on a front yard lawn replacement landscape. They used drought tolerant shrubs as an alternative to grass, replacing the main area with permeable gravel and a beautiful stone walkway. Gravel allows rainwater to soak into the ground instead of running onto the road.
This is also a great example of how your lawn replacement doesn’t have to look barren or like a desert. It’s a simple makeover that could be done in any front yard with little effort for a lifetime of incredible style! Check out the article to see how much they saved on water use – it’s a fantastic result!
LAWN & GRASS ALTERNATIVE – ENGLISH GARDEN
“Be Landscape” via “HouzzHe’s back with another incredible lawn alternative, this time with an English twist! Filled with lush plants, this is a great example of using the English Garden style to create a front yard lawn alternative. They created a small “lawn” area with green ground cover and then planted the rest of the yard generously with drought-tolerant plants.
Planting an English garden is a stellar alternative to lawn, creating the most charming front yard on the block!
Take your garden a step further and keep it beautiful and eco-friendly by adding local and native flora. It’s what will grow and look best in your environment, and pollinators will love it too!
NO ALTERNATE CUTsmall IN THE GRASS
OK, they look pretty, but what about grass alternatives that keep you from having to mow at all? We’ve got you covered – and your lawn.
Native Grass
“June Scott Design” via “Houzz‘ has the perfect lawn replacement idea, using native grasses that require no mowing and very little water! Another good thing about using native grasses on your lawn as an alternative to regular turf is that they are usually more durable, bug resistant and drought tolerant.
They may not be completely mowing-free, we admit, but most of them can be allowed to bloom as they please, unless you live somewhere with strict lawn height rules.
Photo by ‘Houzz‘.
There are three key pointers to keep in mind when diving into native grasses:
- Keep your sowing under control: Many native grasses want ¼” planting depth. There are exceptions, but this is a general rule. Make sure your seeds are evenly spread. You can pack the surface of your soil if you want to firm them up.
- Water is the key: Pay attention to the type of water your native plants need. Newly planted seeds may need a little extra attention until the greens are about an inch tall.
- Plant before frost: If you live in a frost prone area, you want to make sure you get these seeds in the ground 3-4 weeks before. For some, this may be early fall. Know your zone and climate and adjust accordingly.
DRY CREEK BED
Adding a dry creek bed to your front yard landscaping is a DIY project that most of us can do ourselves. Whether you want to call it a dry stream, creek, or river bed, there’s no doubt that these charming applications can bring water direction and grassless appeal to your lawn. Using rock and stone to create this grass alternative requires no water use for the dry creek itself and very little watering of the plants used to enhance it. We are his fans DIY Dry Creek Beds, since they are so versatile and easy to maintain!
Grass Alternatives – Dry Creek Bed
Adding a dry creek bed to your front yard landscaping is a DIY project that most of us can do ourselves. Using rock and stone to create this grass alternative requires no water use for the dry creek itself and very little watering of the plants used to enhance it. You can read our post to know everything DIY Dry Creek Bedsmall. Photo by ‘Houzz‘.
This is also a perfect place to create some attractive border plants that will act as a barrier for your dry creek bed.
SUPERNATURAL THYME
Fine Gardening has a reader who shared this fantastic lawn alternative… Creeping Thyme! This easy and drought tolerant ground cover will bloom in spring and early summer and remain evergreen year round. It is “step” but never needs a haircut. Great for our bee friends and easy on water resources. Plus, it’s easy on the eyes! Photo by ‘Roberta Smith. ‘
Also known as ‘Breckland thyme’, or quite charmingly, ‘elf thyme’, growing creeping thyme is a fairly simple process due to how adaptable it is to different soil levels and exposure to light. One thing to keep in mind, however, is that the soil pH for creeping thyme should be neutral – slightly alkaline at best.
You can also propagate creeping thyme by stem cuttings or divisions – or you can buy it directly from your favorite local nursery. If you are working with cuttings, let them start in early summer and start the seeds 8-12 inches apart.
ALTERNATIVE FRONT YARD GRASS – GOALS
We have a great idea from the world famous “Kaufman House” in Palm Springs. Go big, or go home! They used native boulders to create a unique, gorgeous front yard entryway sourced from renowned designer, Richard Neutra. You can adapt this idea for use in your own backyard from this desert landscape. Local rock companies will bring in and place boulders for you, so don’t worry about heavy lifting.
Drought Intolerant Turf Landscaping – Desert Plants
And finally, following the desert theme, if you happen to live in a desert area like Palm Springs. Tempe or Scottsdale, you can create wonderful front yard landscaping with crushed granite, large rocks, cacti, yuccas, agaves and other desert plants. Photo by Sunset.com.
We hope you got a lot of inspiration for Alternatives to Grass! We think you’ll also want to go directly to our posts, 10 Drought Tolerant Plants for Low Water Gardens and Large ground plants!
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