I live in a semi-arid region, so having a lush, green lawn really doesn’t make sense economically or environmentally. Finding inspiration for an alternative isn’t that difficult anymore. Sunset.com, a magazine dedicated to living in the west, offers a beautiful slideshow with plenty of ideas. And if you are so inspired to make the switch, Better Home and Gardens offers garden plans with plant-by-number maps making it easy to follow.
I’ve written a few posts about losing the lawn before, but here are the benefits for minimizing the lawn:
- Choose native plants that require little care – save time and money on maintenance
- Reducing the lawn saves on water – easy on the pocket book and water table
- Spend more time outside – an easy to care for yard with space to hang out means spending more time outdoors
- Utilize nooks and crannies of your yard – choosing a garden plan that maximizes all sections of your yard can make small hideaways available
Have you minimized your lawn?
2 Comments
I had to laugh when I read the title of this post because I’m currently trying to win back my lawn! But then, I live in the northeast and a nice full lawn is the norm for the geography. Unfortunately, I have mostly dirt in large parts and the effect is rather like a depression era dustbowl… especially when I mow. 🙁
However, your post did remind me that we live in many and varied places, and that just because I might “see” people at various places around the blogosphere, it doesn’t mean they’re coming from the same perspective I am..
When we talk about lawn it to difference from each place in my place we don’t like to keep it. But however many of us like to grown it.
Sometime they fight to each others it’s funny enough.