I drive around a lot. Needless to say, I find myself looking at a lot of yards while I am out and about. And there it is: the ever present lawn. I know, I know; your neighbor has it, their neighbor has it.
What else is there? It is hard to imagine that there is another way of landscaping your yard, but I promise there is. I call it the “Lose the Lawn” plan. I think that most people accept the status quo of what a garden should look like because they don’t know anything else is out there. I consider it to be a lack of exposure to another idea.
You might think you will miss your lawn, but I promise, you won’t miss the time, work, money, and resources that go into having a nice looking lawn. Less lawn can result in outdoor living spaces that demand less of your time and energy — not to mention less water, gas, and electricity.
Sometimes looking beyond a lawn for all or part of your yard can be a smart and beautiful landscaping design decision. Whether you want to cut down on maintenance, have a hard time growing grass in a particular spot, or simply want to try another look, lawn alternatives can be great yard design solutions. With fall and its cooler temperatures upon us, now is a great time to get started.
If you live in a neighborhood where every house flaunts an immaculate, weed-free front lawn, giving up grass entirely might seem like crazy talk, but you can gradually shift toward a front yard that is much more garden than lawn by establishing deep planting beds that curve along the front and sides of the house. You can experiment with designs by laying out garden hose in a gentle curve.
If you really crave the green of a lawn and simply can’t do without it, consider a lawn alternative. There are plenty of foot traffic-friendly groundcovers that compete well with weeds and stay relatively short without mowing including mat-forming creeping thyme, grasslike blue sedge Carex Glauca, and mounding moss phlox. I personally like dwarf mondo grass Ophiopogon Japonicas as it is low growing and quite lush.
Check the plant information section at www.stepables.com, which includes a feature to help you find suitable species according to the amount of foot traffic they will get, as well as the sun and water needs.
With a little research, you can easily find a beautiful and spreading groundcover that will give you the kind of green space that works with your style, takes less of your time, is easy on the eyes, and is way easier on the earth. You can also create a habitat for birds, bees, and butterflies by adding a small water feature, a birdbath, or fountain.
I realize that the conversation of less or no lawn is blasphemous to many, but I can tell you from personal experience that it really can work. I have a huge yard and I have no lawn. None. Nada. Nilch. I love it! I can honestly say that no one that comes to my garden misses it. There is a lot of information out there about planting without a lawn, so get out there and Google and just give it a thought, maybe it is the right answer for you too. Here’s to dirt under your nails.
JJ De Sousa is the owner of digs inside & out, located at 1829 NE Alberta, Portland, OR. She can be reached at jj@digs-pdx.com or 503-460-3447 visit www.digs-pdx.com for more information.
