Homeowners love their lawns; there is no doubt about that. They love the way a well-groomed lawn looks, they love the smell of a freshly cut lawn, and they love the sparkle you see on your lawn on a dewy morning. What homeowners don’t like is all the work that goes into maintaining a lawn. Let’s face it, having grass means spending much of your weekend tending to it. If you would rather spend your weekends doing what you want instead of mowing, trimming, and raking, then perhaps you should just get rid of your grass. It might sound somewhat un-American, but it’s perfectly fine to have an outdoor space free from grass. As luck would have it, there are several options for landscaping even without grass. Here are a few examples of landscaping ideas for those who don’t have grass, and they still look amazing.
rock gardens
Weather patterns are unpredictable, and our lifestyles don’t always sync with the amount of time and effort it takes to care of a lawn. If this sounds like your situation, a rock garden might be the perfect fit. There is just something special about a rock garden, they are peaceful and a great way to invoke nature. They are also very easy to maintain if you are the bust type.
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Rock gardens are quite easy to maintain because you don’t have to water them every day, no mowing is required, and you don’t have to worry about fertilizing. In addition, rock gardens thrive in harsh weather conditions. Thanks to the rocks and plants that typically go with them, rock gardens will tolerate extreme heat, bitter cold, and everything in between.
Come winter, your grass stops growing, turns yellow, and looks pretty bad. Your rock garden looks exactly the same all year long, well, except after a snowstorm. You will discover just how nice it is to enjoy your yard all year long. Rock gardens can be installed with a combination of rocks that work together to create depth, and they also make your outdoor space look more extensive than what it is.
TURNING YOUR LANDSCAPE CONCEPT INTO A BEAUTIFUL WORK OF NATURE
mulch it up
Organic mulches such as pine bark chips and cedar can be substituted for grass. Just like rocks, your mulch isn’t going to be affected by changing weather patterns and extreme temperatures. And just like a rock garden, you don’t have to worry about mowing or fertilizing mulch. But best of all, mulch is an inexpensive substitute for grass, and it’s easy to install on your own.
There are several benefits that come with a mulched yard. For example, mulch will help retain moisture in the soil, and it contributes to healthier plants as well. Mulch also protects your property from erosion, and it allows water to drain quicker and avoid pooling and flooding. There are mulch types that do quite a good job keeping insects out of your yard.
Mulch will add a rich color to your yard, and it looks especially great around trees and shrubs. Colored mulches can be utilized to complement to hues of your landscape. In addition, mulch increases your home’s curb appeal and is a selling point should you ever put your home on the market.
artificial turf
If you still desire a lush green lawn but don’t want to put forth the effort to maintain it, then artificial turf could be an excellent solution. There are several benefits that artificial turf has to offer. Let’s start off with the fact that you never have to mow it, it never needs water, it never turns yellow and dies, and you don’t have to worry about pulling weeds from it on weekends. In fact, once you have artificial turf installed, you don’t have to even think about it.
With a lawn full of grass, you can expect puddles to form when it rains, and mud is inevitable. But with artificial turf, mud and puddles are a thing of the past. So you can let your pets and children go out and play after a rainstorm and not have to worry about them dragging mud into your home. And having to clean clothes stained with grass is also a thing of the past.
Xeriscaping
Xeriscaping is a form of landscaping that requires very little if no water for irrigation. It started off as a trend several years ago and is now a popular choice in landscaping. The term was coined by a water company in Denver in the 1980s, and it is one of the best ways homeowners can conserve water. Xeriscaping is a strategy in which wildflowers, decorative grasses, cacti, and rocks are installed on your property. This combination of plants and rocks doesn’t require a lot of maintenance and will reduce water usage by as much as 75 percent.
For anybody who feels that a yardful of rocks and cacti makes your yard look like a scene from the dessert, just think about how awful dead grass looks. And think about all of the things you can buy with the money you save from not having to water your lawn.
Radiant Landscape Design and Build offers several outdoor solutions to your outdoor spaces. Whether you want a yard without grass, a new concrete patio, or a pergola, we can help you design and build the perfect landscape. If you would like a consultation, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.