Seven Alternatives to Standard Lawns

You've learned about climate change, the standards of urban landscaping, and how much turf grass is involved in the environment and economy. Not comes the fun part, deciding on your new lawn that has the potential to help the environment and save you some money over time. The seven alternatives in this post vary considerably, so the decision comes down to how much work and money you are willing to put into your lawn alternative, what you hope to gain from your lawn alternative, and of course, your desired aesthetic for your lawn alternative. If you want a quick reminder about the benefits of alternative lawns, check out this Environmental Protection Agency resource Beneficial Landscaping.

1. The No-Mow Movement

All of these alternatives to turf grass lawns could be considered no-mow, but the simplest option for changing your landscaping practices is to join the growing no-mow movement. The only requirement is to stop moving your turfgrass. The NRDC defines most no-mow lawns in one of four categories: 

"1) naturalized or unmowed turf grass that is left to grow wild; 2) low-growing turf grasses that require little grooming (most are a blend of fescues); 3) native or naturalized landscapes where turf is replaced with native plants as well as noninvasive, climate-friendly ones that can thrive in local conditions; and 4) yards where edible plants—vegetables and fruit-bearing trees and shrubs—replace a portion of turf."

The no-mow alternative for this first option of this blog would be anything that falls into the first or second category of the NRDC's definition. If you are thinking about trying this alternative, make sure you read the end of this post where I disclose a few things to keep in mind about changing lawns in neighborhoods. 

2. Rock Landscaping

Rock landscaping is a perfect option if you live in a part of the world that is currently experiencing drought, or that gets a limited amount of rainfall each year. If your lawn requires a lot of of watering and you live in an area that is really dry, it can become expensive and wasteful to water turfgrass. Rock landscaping requires NO WATER. One caveat with rock landscaping is that while it save a ton of water, it provides no space for native plants and no resources for pollinators or other native insects and animals. For more information on ow to get started, SodDepot has an article How to Prepare the Ground for Rock Landscaping.

3. Native Grasses

Native grassses support wildlife, especially birds and are a great addition to urban areas. They also provide variety in your lawn. Replacing the standard turfgrass with native grasses of varying height, color, texture, and season will give you a lot of possibilities when landscaping your lawn alternative. For North Dakota residents, check out my post North Dakota Native Species and Where to Find Them. For those of you that are not residents of North Dakota, start by researching the native grasses and other non-flowering plants found in your area, what they provide for wildlife and what care they require. Fine Gardening gives some great tips and starting points in their article Exploring Native Lawn Alternatives that Thrive in the Mid-Atlantic Area.

4. Native Flowers

Native wildflowers are incredibly important for pollinators, a species that contributes so much to the environment and ecosystems while facing increasing danger in the climate crisis. Wildflowers also provide color and variety in your lawn during their blooming season. For North Dakota residents, head over to my post North Dakota Native Species and Where to Find Them. A great resource for North Dakota residents but also anyone looking for more information on the importance of native wildflowers is NDSU's publication Bee-utiful Landscapes: Building a Pollinator Garden. This source provides information on the importance of pollinators, pollinator decline, and planting a pollinator garden. Another great resource is the Empress of Dirt blog, specifically the article How to Replace Lawn With Wildflower Seed Mix.

5. Clover

Clover lawns are very similar to turfgrass in their height and look. They are affordable and when under the right conditions really easy to grow. Clover is a tolerant plant, growing well with little water once established. It also supports wildlife and pollinators. One resource I would recommend for those of you hoping to convert to a clover lawn would be How to Establish a Clover Lawn by eartheasy.

6. Moss

Moss lawns require a little more effort in the preparation stage as the resources are not as easily available as clover and native grasses in many areas. Moss does not need to be mowed, and contrary to many it can be stepped on. Moss does well in difficult conditions and can be used for erosion control. Moss does prefer shaded areas, so keep that in mind. A blog that covers this topic very well is the spruce and their article How to Grow a Moss Lawn: Benefits, Disadvantages, and Tips. 

7. Fruit and Vegetable Gardening

If you want to keep some of your turfgrass but not all, a great alternatives is to convert sections of your lawn into garden beds. This is an alternative that gives back to you in the most physical way, providing fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other plants for your personal use. There are several ways to do this, the most common being ground beds and raised beds. To get started with ground beds I recommend A Simple Way to Turn Lawn Into A Vegetable Garden by A Traditional Life. For raised beds I recommend Converting Lawn into Raised Garden Beds by garden therapy. 

Some Things to Keep in Mind:

1. Get advice from experts in your area. Biologists and other professionals knowledgeable in your local area are some of the best resources when looking to convert your turfgrass lawn. Get in touch with them and ask any questions you can't find the answers to by yourself, or for local resources.

2. Take care of weeds. Weeds can be invasive and suffocating for native and on-native species alike. Invasive weeds like knapweed are serious problems in some parts of the country. It is important that you take care of your alternative lawn by getting rid of weeds and making sure that they won't spread.

3. Check for incentive programs. Some areas of the country have incentive programs for those looking to convert their turfgrass lawns to an alternative lawn. This could end up saving you money and effort if you spend a little time looking into local programs.

4. Check the rules of your neighborhood. Some neighborhood covenants and homeowners associations have guidelines that could control the decisions you make about your lawn. Make sure to read the fineprint. If you come across difficulty in converting your turfgrass to an alternative lawn, check out my video post How to Replace Your Lawn Without Angering the HOA

5. Pick the alternative that if right for you and your area. Some of these alternatives are not feasible in certain areas of the country, and others might not be feasible to you financially. 

The next post is titles North Dakota Native Species and Where to Find Them and gives examples of native grasses and wildflowers and resources and tips on how to access native plants. 

Article Sources:

https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/how-to-establish-a-clover-lawn/

https://www.nrdc.org/stories/more-sustainable-and-beautiful-alternatives-grass-lawn#:~:text=Likewise%2C%20rainwater%20runoff%20from%20lawns,mowers%20can%20pollute%20the%20air

https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/lawns-gardens-trees/bee-utiful-landscapes-building-a-pollinator-garden

https://web.archive.org/web/20150616235257/http://www.epa.gov/greenkit/landscap.htm

https://soddepotflorida.com/how-to-prepare-the-ground-for-rock-landscaping/

https://www.finegardening.com/article/exploring-native-lawn-alternatives-that-thrive-in-the-mid-atlantic

https://web.archive.org/web/20150616235257/http:/www.epa.gov/greenkit/landscap.htm

https://www.thespruce.com/create-low-maintenance-moss-lawn-2152704

https://gardentherapy.ca/raised-vegetable-garden/

https://atraditionallife.com/turn-lawn-into-a-vegetable-garden/

Image Sources:

https://www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2019/April-May/Gardening/Turf-Lawns 

https://www.thespruce.com/wildflower-gardening-1403564 

https://www.southernliving.com/garden/pests/what-is-a-clover-lawn

https://www.growveg.com/guides/10-things-i-wish-id-known-before-starting-a-vegetable-garden/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moss_lawn

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/landscaping/22666155/rock-landscaping-ideas