It ’s been sixteen years since Heather Jo Flores published the bookFood Not lawn , and the # nolawn revolution is picking up gait faster than you’re able to say “ No Mow May . ”
Since you started read this article , I ’ll assume you have at least a vague idea of the disadvantage of maintaining a well - manicure lawn .
Lawns are imagination grunter – they bolt up vast quantities of water and ask fertilizer , pesticides and weed killer to keep them looking serious ( by traditional standards , of row ) . But the most valuable resource that lawns squander is time neutralize on maintenance … as if our lives are n’t hectic enough .
Despite being so resource - intensive , lawns do very small for their surrounding environs because they offer up nothing to pollinators or to other beneficial insects .
I wo n’t go deeper into why lawn should be a die breed of landscape gardening , but if you require to read more , have a look atthis article on Rural Sproutwhere Cheryl plowshare fact and flesh that will hopefully convert you that lawn are n’t deserving the trouble .
But do n’t be discourage if you ’re not quite ready to wrench your lawn into a food - producing space described inFood Not Lawns . There is a transitional way to get rid of in high spirits - sustenance green goddess while still maintain that lawn look .
I ’d care to spend the rest of this clause focusing on solutions rather than repeat the problem with lawns . If you ’re also looking for answer and figuring out what the best no - mow lawn alternatives are , read on .
When choose these suggestions , I kept a few dim-witted criteria in mind :
Some of these no - mow options are ground covers , so they ’ll just do like a lawn that your Thomas Kyd and pets can happily recreate on . While others maturate tall and can be used to fill up the vertical space .
And one more thing : since our readership sweep all USDA gardening zones , not to remark other countries and continents , I decided to keep my recommendations more general rather than too specific .
Take this lean as a starting point from which to whizz along in on what do work in your specific ( micro)climate .
For example , it may take two yr to get a clover lawn started in a red-hot and juiceless mood while it only take one season in a meek and humid one . A pop footing cover such as the dwarf periwinkle ( Vinca minor)is easily doable in most moderate climates , but it may be considered trespassing in warmer climates .
It ’s always a skillful idea to do more localized research before you embark on any big lawn overhaul . you’re able to set about by seeking advice from your local university agrarian extension . you’re able to consult local sustainable landscape interior decorator and regenerative landscape advisors . And you should definitely ask for the advice of your local aboriginal industrial plant society . You get the substance .
1. Clover (Trifolium)
I take to originate with the small clover because it ’s becoming a popular lawn alternative . And for good ground too .
trefoil is a depressed - sustainment ground cover that is often plant for off - season growth in vegetable garden beds due to its N - mend properties . Its roots imbue late into the soil and aerate it while its flowers allow for a alimental collation legal profession for pollinators . Reaching the blooming stage will take a scrap of forbearance though , as most trefoil variety will mature and blossom only after their first class .
As it ’s getting established , trefoil require a scrap more watering during hot teetotal summers . But as it matures , it gradually needs less water to no water at all due to its unassailable root system . The trefoil lawn does n’t need mowing or fertilizing . In fact , it can act as a light-green fertiliser for other plant if you clip it down and use it as mulch or turn it into the earth at the base of the other plants .
trefoil is a perennial , but it does need some reseeding every couple of year to fill up in the gaps . This primer cover is the perfect alternative for areas with in high spirits foot dealings .
The most common variety is the Dutch white trefoil , but there are so many other colorful variety to choose from , such as :
Strawberry trefoil ( Trifolium fragiferum )
Swedish trefoil ( Trifolium hybridum )
Dark Dancer trefoil ( genus Trifolium repens ‘ Atropurpureum ’ )
Red trefoil ( Trifolium pratense )
4 Luck Red Stripes Clover ( Trifolium repens ‘ Red Stripes ’ )
2. Microclover (Trifolium repens)
I ’m cite microclover separately for the lecturer who prefer a non - blooming type of clover that resemble a grass lawn more than it does a clover lawn . Microclover has been cover and perfected in Denmark specifically for use in golf game courses and summercater fields .
In addition to having the same vantage as using clover , microclover has compendious humble growth and , due to its fine leaves , it does n’t get tricky when it gets cockeyed .
There are a few varieties of microclover that you may choose for your lawn : Trifolium repens‘Pipolina’,Trifolium repens‘Pirouette ’ andTrifolium repens‘Aberace ’ .
3. Blue lilyturf (Liriope muscari)
Not really grape vine hyacinth muscari and not quite creeping lilyturf , Liriope muscari is an evergreen perennial grass that can be used as a low - growing ground natural covering for low - water gardens .
Due to its tolerance to drought , it ’s a good industrial plant to originate under trees and bush where not much else can contend with the thick antecedent structure . The inscrutable - purple prime grow above the leafage crown and last until later spill .
you could plant Liriope muscari in fond shade and full spook . If it becomes a bit too crowded , you’re able to trim back the old foliage in the winter and carve up the cluster in spring . This fast - fill habit makes it an affordable ground binding because you do n’t need too many plants to cover a larger arena .
you could use blue lilyturf on slopes and banks to preclude erosion and it make bonus points fornot being appetizing to deerand rabbits .
Unlike its remote full cousin , the creeping lilytuf ( Liriope spicata ) , the grim variety does n’t distribute fast and can be easily kept in your desired areas .
4. Creeping thyme (Thymus)
How often can you say that walking on your lawn free a divine fragrance ? Well , if you choose to embed creeping thyme as a lawn alternative , that wo n’t sound so half-baked .
cringe thyme is a herbaceous low - raise perennial that has long - lasting heyday in various shades of pink , purple and blanched .
look on how many plants you decide to fling on , after about three years of growth , it take shape a dense Master of Arts in Teaching that can handle moderate foot dealings . It ’s a full comestible evergreen that grows well in USDA zones 4 to 9 . you’re able to harvest it in the morning time for fresh consumption or dry it and store it for winter .
A few varieties of creeping thyme that you’re able to expect for are :
‘ Bressingham ’ creeping thyme ( Thymus doerfleri ‘ Bressingham ’ )
bloodless creeping thyme ( Thymus serphyllum ‘ Albus ’
Red flowering creeping thyme ( Thymus praecox ‘ Coccineus ’ )
Pink creeping thyme ( Thymus praecox ‘ Pink chintz ’ )
You do n’t have to prefer between these variety though . you could create a beautiful mosaic lawn by combining the colors and textures of several types of creep thymes .
For an excellent guidebook onhow to get a grovel thyme lawn started , have a look at the guidebook on Rural Sprout .
5. Silver ponyfoot (Dichondra argentea)
Silver ponyfoot has a rather unfortunate name . It is more heart - shaped than anything else , and its diffuse substance abuse resembles more that of strawberry ( sending runners that root at nodes ) .
In gain to the fact thatit ’s eatable ( though on the bitter side ) , Dichondra is also drought resistant and can be planted in the nuance .
It ’s relatively low - growing , although the more mature foliage can make six column inch gamy . you could walk on silver ponyfoot without any fear of wear it down and it ’s extremely tolerant to pest and diseases .
Used as a solid ground cover , Dichondra can cover a large swath of lawn comparatively quickly with bright fleeceable or silvern matte foliage . you’re able to also use it on gradient and banks . You should keep the blue runner in cheque by cut down them back to the close node once a calendar month .
According toNorth Carolina State University Gardener Extension , Dichondra is native to the desert regions of the United States and Mexico , so you may safely use it in aboriginal gardens in these areas .
6. Cushion moss (Leucobryum)
Leucobryum has been experiencing a surge in popularity with landscapers in moist climates .
This moss is soft to care for and it ’s the perfect groundcover for a shady garden . When moist , cushion moss is a vibrant blue - dark-green colour , but it turn silvery white when it miss moisture .
Do n’t worry , like most moss , it will turn back to green when it ’s watered . Its white body politic when juiceless is the reasonableness for its cognomen “ white moss ” or “ white fork moss ” . However , the “ cushion ” part of the moniker is due to its growth pattern – in mounds that resemble a pincushion rather than as a flat sheet .
7. Sedge (Carex remota)
Sedges are pot - similar plants that can endure shade and variations in temperature and humidness . The most democratic garden sedges that can be used in gloomy - water garden belong to the genus Carex .
Their evergreen plant foliage is bass and rabbit immune . Sedges can be trimmed back in leap to help oneself with greening and to clean up the rub leaf , but they do n’t require much maintenance otherwise .
Because sedges initiate from different parts of the world , there are likely several varieties that will do well in any type of gardening conditions ( from Dominicus to shade and from low-down - moisture to high - wet ) . call for your local plant nursery what sedge grows well in your climate . Here are a few popular types to get you started .
mutual sedge ( Carex blanda )
Remote sedge ( Carex remota )
White - tinged sedge Carex albicanis
Rosy sedge ( Carex rosea )
violent cock sedge ( Carex buchananii )
Woodland sedge ( Carex sprengelii )
Bronze - leaved sedge ( Carex comans ‘ Bronze Form ’ )
8. Woodruff (Galium odoratum)
This earth binding flora is also known as Sweet woodruff , due to its delicate white peak that release a strong floral scent . The prime are harvested and used to make aromatized wine in some portion of Germany , Belgium and France .
Woodruff is a ripe choice for part - tint and full - nicety areas in your garden that stay relatively damp .
Keep in mind that this plant ca n’t do by too much hot good afternoon sun , especially in compounding with eminent temperatures when the leaves tend to become limp and scorched . This perennial works can raise in almost all types of stain , whether flaxen , loamy or cadaver .
9. Cottoneaster (Cotoneaster dammeri)
Cottoneaster or bearberry cotoneaster is a semi - evergreen shrub that is very easy to grow , which makes it the perfect lawn choice for slopes and banks .
It grows up to about one foot marvelous with a trailing drug abuse that cower along the aerofoil of the territory as it spreads . This make it soft to propagate by layering it and moving the new growth around in your garden as shortly as it work its own ascendent structure . In most climates , it can fan out up to six feet wide at maturity .
The tiny white flowers that bloom in springiness give it the “ cottoneaster ” soubriquet , while the “ bearberry ” nickname is due to the red berries that succeed the bloom . The berry ( not suitable for human consumption ) are a undimmed soda pop of people of colour that last until winter . Its green leaf flex purple - red in the fall .
The cottoneaster shrub is drouth - liberal , but it should be water if the temperatures get too gamy . It needs full sun to thrive and may need protection in cold winters .
10. Snow-in-Summer (Cerastium tomentosum)
This groundcover perennial can uprise well in virtually all USDA zones , which makes it a favourite for border - filling as well as a lawn choice . The silvery foliation is clear with white bloom all through the summer ( just like snowfall … in summertime ) .
Snow in summer isdrought - tolerantand can handle piteous soil conditions . Due to its muted coloring material and growth riding habit , it makes a wonderful fellow traveller for more vibrant perennial blooming .
It does well in the sun , but you’re able to also grow it in part - spook . split up the chunk in spring or fall to get a better tax return on your investment funds .
11. Moneywort (Lysimachia nummularia)
I left creeping Jenny as the last suggestion on my list because , for such a modest industrial plant , it tends to stir a lot of spirit in multitude . Before you plant any eccentric of creeping Jenny as a soil back , you should jibe whether the plant has been deemed invading in your area .
If you live in a boggy and marshy area or a generally damp and humid climate , moneywort will spread out very fast . If you do decide to lay on the line it , verify you set it in an area that has strict borders ( stone , wood or alloy will do ) or between garden path rock .
In drier climate , Lysimachia nummularia does n’t spread as tight and can be easily control . It grows well in poor dirt , which is another scenario that slows down its spread . This groundcover also allow full shade and moderate foot dealings . It ’s a miserable cultivator ( about two in tall ) and stay evergreen in climates with mild winters .
mark that this is not the same plant that is usually known as “ moneywort ” by aquarium keepers and aquascaping professional .
I trust these have been helpful trace for a lawn alternate . Remember that whatever you choose will broadly take a couple of days to get established and start growing to its full potential , so planning and longanimity will compensate off .
