It think you all know already that I hate grass. That sounds too negative, because really I like lots of color, low-maintenance and earth-saving landscaping and unfortunately, grass is none of those things. Before I launch into some of my favorite landscape ideas/trends I’m going to list some of the benefits of breaking up with your lawn:
More habitats for native species like birds and other wildlife
Lower heating/cooling bills (bigger ecosystems with undergrowth and dimension help keep your home cool in the summer and warm in the winter meaning your utility bills will go down and you’ll use less energy)
Less work: no mowing, no fertilizing, no sprinkler system, no worrying
You’ll use WAY less water, mulch naturally helps plants soak up water (and keeps the water from evaporating), so you don’t have to water as much
Plants that pollinators actually need, like weeds (yep!) and flowers!
More color (no more homogenous green), grow flowers and shrubs!
More butterflies, no one can argue with that!
The Desert/Waterwise Garden
Desert plants can grow in more places than the desert. They can thrive, even in places like the Pacific Northwest where it rains half the year. Some of my favorite plants are actually native to dryer climates, but do well here since we have such hot and dry summers. Grasses, manzanita, succulents and cacti all add texture, depth and color to your yard.
Plants to Get: Box-Leaf Azara, California Live Oaks, Ceanothus, Manzanita and Boxwoods (no one thinks they’re draught-tolerant but they are), Melaleuca, Lavender, and all the tall grasses you can find.
The Cottage Garden
My garden is a combination of all of these (or will be some day, we just moved in, so we’re looking out on a dying lawn and an old brick retaining wall), and the country garden is my favorite. I love living in the city, but I want the feeling of being far from everything when I look out my back door. Country gardens are whimsical and unkempt, haphazard and unplanned and yet somehow the disorganization and scattered colors seems like they were put there on purpose.
Plants to Get: Lavender, Grasses (all colors and sizes), Rosemary, Mint, Lupines, Euphorbia, Achillea Millefolium, Allium, Cardoon, Foxtail Lily, Wild Buckwheat, Salvia and Glebionis (Daisy).
Photo: @urbanfarmstead
The Urban Edible Landscape
If you haven’t heard of East Sac Farms, then I’d be surprised. This is the garden I dream of, in a relatively small lot in Sacramento this couple grows enough food to share it with their community. They cultivate year-round and the atmosphere of their food garden complements their hangout space in their backyard. Yes, they do have grass, but I won’t hold it against them since they have managed to do a whole lot with a little. They maximize their space by using trellises to grow their food up, rotating crops and by taking full advantage of the California climate by growing and harvesting year-round.
Plants to Get: Herbs, veggies and fruit trees. Depending on your climate zone you could try out some fun things, grow apples up north and peaches or kiwis down south, we grow lots of berries.