Not everyone wants to spend a portion of their weekends maintaining a grassy lawn, but almost everyone would like to have a green lawn. There is a way to have the best of both worlds, if you plant lawn substitutes.
There are several eco-friendly grass alternatives that will give you lush greenery growing in the yard and won’t require hours of weekly maintenance.
Check out some of these attractive lawn substitutes to see if one is right for your landscape.
Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme (Thymus praecox) is a low growing perennial ground cover. It’s also known as Mother of Thyme and makes an excellent lawn substitute.
This is a fast-growing evergreen plant that will reach a mature height of 3 inches (7.5 cm). The plant has hair-like foliage and produces tiny purple blooms in late spring.
The blooms are filled with pollen and attract a variety of pollinators.
Creeping thyme is a sturdy plant that can withstand foot traffic. The plant is a herb that produces a minty fragrance and can be harvested for culinary uses.
You may be interested in other article, 5 Scented Lawn Substitutes.
Creeping Jenny
Also known as Moneywort, Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia) is a perennial ground cover that will grow in areas where no other plant will. This is a hardy plant that grows equally well in full sun or partial shade.
Creeping Jenny requires very little maintenance, other than an occasional trim to keep it within the desired boundaries.
Corsican Mint
This green ground cover has small round leaves that fill the air with a minty aroma when crushed. Corsican mint (Mentha requienii) is a herb plant and will produce tiny purple flowers in late spring.
This slow-growing lawn substitute is adaptable and will grow in full sun or partial shade.
Corsican mint is not a hardy plant and is best grown in an area with minimal foot traffic.
Ornamental Grass
Drought tolerant, no-mow ornamental grass varieties range in mature heights from low to tall. Choose a variety that is adapted to your specific climate.
Pampas grass, Feather Reed grass, Little Bluestem, Blue Oat Grass, Cord grass, and Japanese Forrest grass are just a few of the low maintenance, eco-friendly ornamental grass varieties that would make an ideal lawn substitute.
Stonecrop Succulents
Also known as Sedum, Stonecrop succulents (Sedum spp.) are a large family of plants that make ideal lawn substitutes.
These low maintenance plants are in the cacti family and are ideal for use in areas that have minimal rainfall. Choose from succulents that creep along the ground, trail over rocks or embankments, or that grow up to 1 foot (30cm) tall and produce show-stopping blooms.
The tick, fleshy green leaves of Stonecrop succulents provide lush greenery in the landscape year around. Most produce blooms that will attract bees and butterflies.
Let’s make lawn mowing less burden on our joyful gardening pastime!
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