There are few things less natural-looking than expanses of perfectly green, neatly mowed lawn…and yet that is exactly what many home owners aspire to. Not only is the “ideal” of a pristine lawn outdated, it’s also a waste of time and resources. If you’re tired of mowing, here are a few ideas to move you and your yard in a new direction.

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Vegetable/Herb Gardening

For the homeowner who loves to cook or eat, there’s something special about being able to serve home-grown food. It’s easy to transform yard to garden with raised beds in sunny locations. Raised beds, made by straw bales, landscape timber, wattle, etc., can be set up quickly, increase yields by extending growing seasons and, with soil amendments, may conserve water. Raised bed gardening reduces your lawn space while cutting grocery costs and improving your diet!

Flowering Ground Covers

If you don’t use your lawn heavily, it is easy to replace grass with ground covers such as moss, thyme, periwinkle, sedum, and creeping phlox. These plants like sun to partial shade and all have lovely blooms. Your local nursery can assist you in finding the right ground covers for your climate and location.

Xeriscaping

Xeriscaping is a landscaping technique used in dry, drought-prone climates to minimize the need for watering or irrigation, and makes best use of native plants to create a yard virtually free of maintenance. Sedum Requieni is one example of a ground cover that requires very little water, forms a dense green mat with red foliage, and will never need mowing! According to conservation experts, minimizing turf and incorporating the xeriscape ideals can reduce water usage by up to 80%.

Outdoor Entertaining

Transform your lawn into a space for outdoor entertaining. The addition of a large patio instantly adds value to your home and while reducing the need to mow. Add a border of mid-height perennials such daylilies, lavender, or hibiscus to create a stunning area to entertain friends and family.

Paths and Walkways

Create a meandering walkway through your yard using stepping stones set in gravel or a cement walkway. As with the patio, add a wide swath of low-maintenance plantings along each side. Put a bench, fountain, or swing at the end of the path to create a destination.

Any of these ideas can be used together to create a beautiful garden that is eco-friendly, low-maintenance, and productive.