Question: I'm tired of mowing lawns. But are there viable alternatives to lawns?
Answer: When most people buy a home, the dominant landscaping element on the property is lawn grass. They faithfully mow this expanse of lawn for years, without considering alternatives to lawns.
Yes, there are alternatives. It is becoming acceptable again to have something on the grounds in front of your house other than a lawn -- you won't be looked upon as some kind of a weirdo. Ground covers, wide walkways, flower beds and even vegetable garden beds (if designed so as to be attractive) are seen increasingly in front of respectable homes as alternatives to the traditional lawn. Two growing "anti-lawn" movements (which often overlap) espousing alternatives to lawns are:
- The native plant movement: growing only plants native to an area
- The xeriscaping movement: growing drought-tolerant plants
