Grass Alternatives

Gardening, Home & Family
on January 4, 2014
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Everyone likes a lush, green lawn — everyone, that is, who doesn't mind maintaining it or doesn't care about the overuse of water and other environmental concerns. These eco-friendly alternatives solve the problems created by lushness and greenness while still helping you maintain an attractive home.

Desert landscaping. Even if you don't live in a dessert, you can apply the same principles by using plants in their natural habitat. Desert landscaping consists of covering the ground with decorative rock, sand or gravel over a protective, weed-preventing netting. The lawn is ornamented with water-friendly trees, plants and shrubs. Most areas in the Southwestern United States offer rebates from local water departments to offset the initial coast of yard transformation.

Turf. If you've always wanted your yard to look like a golf course, now you can with grass turf. You never have to mow it. You never have to water it. You never have to pull weeds. It's durable and looks like grass. You will, however, have to clean up after neighborhood dogs that can't tell the difference between real and fake grass.

Ground cover. Eartheasy.com recommends ground cover — plants that spread out and not up, require little cutting and need little or no maintenance. Ground cover varieties include flowering perennials, evergreens and even edible ground covers, such as strawberries.

Clover. Often used as a soil conditioner, clover chokes out weeds and grows quickly and easily. Clover is low maintenance, inexpensive, requires no chemical fertilizers, and is colorful and comfortable to walk or sit on.

Ornamental grasses. They're low maintenance, grow well in most soils, seldom require fertilizer, have few pest and disease problems, and are drought-resistant. Types of ornamental grasses include cool season grasses, warm season grasses, running-growth habit and clumping-growth habit.

Flower and shrub beds. Expand the low maintenance areas of your yard with flower and shrub beds. Environmentally friendly planters choose native perennials and low-maintenance varieties. Check with the local nursery for your best options.

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