Supplant Your Lawn
It’s both water-wise and wallet-wise to consider alternatives to a grassy lawn. As more homeowners reach this conclusion, inventive designers are finding new ways to achieve beautiful, green surroundings that demand less care and feeding.
For most landscape architects or designers, the topic of xeriscaping is anything but dry. Though it’s taken years (and billions of dollars and gallons of water) it seems that consumers are finally beginning to realize that a green swath of grass is not necessarily an ideal yard, particularly in arid climates. Even the most egregious water-guzzling lawns in the planned communities of Phoenix and Las Vegas are beginning to be supplanted by xeriscaping. While it may be appropriate for the climates in which these plants thrive, this type of planting is not possible for colder climates that also experience periods of drought.
For colder climates that also experience periods of drought, moss is an attractive choice. It thrives in poor, acidic soil, and requires shade, making it perfect for rocky areas with tree cover.
There are options for the northerly climes, though. Take moss, for example. As an article published last spring in the New York Times states, “In recent years, this humble, hardy plant, which has been around for at least 450 million years, has been growing in popularity as an alternative to the traditional lawn.” According to some purveyors of moss-scapes, sales in moss have gone up at least 30 percent in the last few years, and rightly so: Moss grows easily in poor, acidic soil, and requires shade, making it great for yards with heavy tree cover. Moss, along with a few other key plantings in and around the yard, can make up an extremely attractive, resource-efficient landscape. Moss takes in all of its nutrients through the air and requires much less watering than conventional grass. It can grow on rocks, allowing people to cultivate a greenscape without having to manipulate the existing landscape.
That said, there are a number of fine examples of high-design moss-scapes that also serve to highlight the plants’ more pulchritudinous possibilities. Two excellent examples are both winners of residential ASLA professional prizes: Michael Van Valkenburgh’s project Passage to the Lake and H. Keith Wagner’s Hilltop residence.
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Table of Contents
- 101 Landscape
- An Introduction to Landscape Design
- Well Pruned
- Missing the Mark
- Supplant Your Lawn
- Judy Kameon on the Future of Landscape Design
- Michael Van Valkenburgh on the Future of Landscape Design
- Kathryn Gustafson on the Future of Landscape Design
- Diana Balmori on the Future of Landscape Architecutre
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In some parts of the country the native grass, buffalo grass, is a great alternative to water-loving grasses like St. Augustine. We replaced the vast majority of our yard with buffalo grass and realized a water savings of over 60%. You get to keep a lawn, drastically reduce water needs...and it only needs to be mowed twice a year.
Put in Korean Grass, but the moths made a smorgasbord out of it, so on went the insecticide, oh well. Real nice look though, like a giant discarded green fur coat, and you have to run your hand over it after it grows in.
I just recently wrote a brief article in our local on-line magazine about water conservation in the landscape. Southern Delmarva seems to be in a never-ending drought, so alternative landscaping needs to happen now. Take a look at page 10 on the the linked article.
Those that are serious about successful sustainable landscape design should take a critical look at our chemically enabled lawns and think about how vulnerable monocultures are to disease and pest. How about extending the concept of banker plant systems that are utilized to provide a suitable habitat for rearing beneficial insects one step further; lawns should be encouraged to become “banker plant systems”. Keep the lawns mowed and perhaps even irrigate once or twice a month but use no pesticides, fungicides or commercial fertilizers. Then over time watch all of these tiny little (drought tolerant) flowering plants move in; these are the plants that support beneficial insects. This method will enable a further reduction in pesticide use in surrounding landscapes.
We need use more wildflowers.. no mowing, inexpensive, natural and beautiful.
Is anyone familiar with statistics that cite how much conventional (water-intensive) landscape is being replaced with xeriscape, or at what rate?
I don't know what rate the replacement is being implemented, but I did recently read about a So. California couple whose xerixcaping expedition has been met with legal action by their HOA-run city government. Apparently their city is unaware of the drought conditions in SoCal.
remember that its best to water your lawn in the mornings and evenings, not during the middle of the day!
Back in 1968 my dad got tired of pulling weeds from our front lawn so he pulled it off and started to grow lettuce. It was a beautiful thing! He planted a variety that grew perfectly in our climate. We ate lettuce in many ways (salad, salad and salad) and got tired of it. Finally,a friend who had a vegetable stand in the farmers market took all the remaining lettuce and sold it. We children were very happy to see the lettuce go. But my dad was undetered in his quest for grass substitutes. He grew green beans, tomatoes and other lettuce varieties. But our first lettuce variety was always considered the perfect ground cover and he returned to it time and again. So substituting grass with edible stuff seems to me the perfect solution. Proved back in 1968.
We use only natural plants in our landscaping, which in Utah means beautiful Indian Paintbrush, cacti, and Seoglilies. It's costs next to nothing to water, and the entire neighborhood levies our lawn.
I agree with Guru Landscaping. Watering the lawn in the mornings is the best idea
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