Drought tolerant garden design full of color also attracts pollinators and hummingbirds
In California lawns seem be a thing of the past. If so, the real question is can we learn to live without them? and if so, what are some viable lawn alternatives? We have grown so accustomed to our swaths of green, we can’t seem to visualize our gardens without them. Is Faux Turf the only solution? The answer is not what you'd expect.
Faux Turf: A Solution or a Problem?
Lavender, Flagstone, Gravel, Crushed Stone, Garden path, Iceberg Roses, Nepeta, Catmint
Some people have suggested that Faux Turf is the perfect solution to “no more lawns”. I won't get into my opinion on this; I might upset too many people. I’ll let you do your own research and come to your own conclusion. There is much controversy associated with the environmental impact of artificial turf but, that isn’t really the point.Instead I’d like you to consider this: If you peruse images of the Mediterranean areas of Italy, Spain or France (areas that have a climate reminiscent of ours) you’ll see fields of lavender, sunflowers, grape vines then plantings of sage, rosemary, thyme, palm, cypress, cacti and other low water plantings. Lovely, fragrant, beautiful grey green, blues and yellows. Can you imagine the addition of plastic turf grass?
Mediterranean Gardens
There are many creative things to do. How about the classic of stone pots on gravel, filled with Olive trees, geraniums and the like? What about pathways lined with Echium, Mexican Sage or Lavender (think San Ysidro Ranch). Stone pathways, crushed stone, decomposed granite all make beautiful backdrops to a variety of greenery. But, if you still need that swath of green, there are other options. Think Mediterranean, with Olives, Citrus, Pomegranate, Bay Laurel and even Mulberry trees make beautiful additions to a drought-tolerant garden. The addition of Ivy Geranium, Catmint (Nepeta), Rockrose (Cistus), Santa Barbara Daisy, Teucrium and others creates a beautiful carpet of color and fragrance.
Lawn Alternatives
If you still need a swath of green, here are some viable options.
Myoporum ground cover (Myoporum parvifolium Prostratum) stays low to the ground, is very flat, drought tolerant and spreads quickly to cover any area.
Sedum. There are many varieties of Sedum that can be used to create a beautiful green lawn substitute. Select the variety that stays low to the ground. It will spread and comes in different shades of green.
Dymondia is another great choice when you need a lawn substitute. It is low to the grown, grey-green and has seasonal yellow flowers.
Gazania is another "carpet of green" ground cover with the bonus of beautiful flowers in a variety of colors.This short list is just to get you started. There are many, many more ideas to fill the void when you remove your turf.I’d like to imagine that there is life after lawns. You may just have to get a bit creative and that can be a lot of fun.
Falkia repens is another great lawn alternative (see Hope Ranch garden paradise) it needs very little water, thrives in sun or shade and instead of sprinklers works best with water saving drip irrigation.
Until next time, fill your garden with joy (and creativity) xo Lisa