Lawns are nice.  Beautiful, soft, and friendly, they look great in front of a house.  But the effort that goes into the upkeep simply isn’t worth it to some people.

If you are sick of watering, fertilizing, mowing, and weeding your lawn, consider these alternate lawn options for a nice, yet stress free front yard!

A few things to keep in mind

Before we plunge into a list of grass-alternates, first remember that each of the following plants thrives in some climates but not in others.  Before you decide on a lawn-alternate for your home, it may be a good idea to consult with your local garden center or lawn care specialists about which plants work best in your area.

Also remember that many of these alternatives don’t come with some of the advantages of a regular grass lawns – most predominately the soft, picnic/playground texture of regular grass.  But if you’re ok with sacrificing recreation for a carefree yard, read on:

Groundcover

• Sedges: These are grass-like, clumps of long, thin blades that can range in height and weather resistance, depending on the variety.
• Moss: Another great alternative for green groundcover is moss.  Moss requires no mowing, minimal watering, and no fertilizer.
• Clover: Another nice groundcover option is clover.  There are several varieties that range in height, leaf size, and climate adaptability.  For a look most like a traditional lawn, microclover could be a good option for you.   
• More: However, if you don’t care about mimicking the appearance of grass at all, you could opt for more plantlike groundcover options like creeping thyme, frogfruit, stonecrop, or silver ponyfoot.  You could even forgo all groundcover plants and do a rock garden, flower garden, or even vegetable garden.

Enjoy Your Mower-Free Life

With these options, you can wake up each Saturday morning without dreading the loud and irritating chore of mowing.  You’ll feel confident that you can save money, help the environment, and still proudly present a nice looking yard!

Photo Credits: Ravanous ,