Environmentally Friendly Alternatives to Having a Lawn

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Spring is here! The familiar symbols of spring's renewal have sprouted up across the country. Tulips, daffodils, azalea trees, and cactus flowers are dotting the landscapes of our lives. And that other, ever-present spring growth that magically appears as the school year ends and weather begins to change has suddenly rooted up in front of our homes. The For-Sale sign!

Curb Appeal and Why it's So Important

Yes, Americans again begin their annual migration from home to home. Now, it's common knowledge that the first thing prospective buyers see when they arrive at your home may be the most important factor in determining whether they even bother walking in the door. It's known as curb appeal.

It's also common knowledge that a big part of good curb appeal is a well-manicured, lush green lawn. "If they can’t even take care of their lawn, how could they possibly be able to take care of their home," is what a buyer is thinking as he or she sits in front of your house.

Environmentally Friendly Alternatives

You don't necessarily need to go out and buy all kinds of fertilizers, pesticides and "anti everything-that-grows-naturally" products, to have a beautiful front lawn. In fact, you may not need a lawn at all. With water prices skyrocketing across the country, you might consider environmentally friendly alternatives to a lawn that require little or no watering. Depending on where you live, there are native plants and groundcovers that are beautiful and actually thrive with little care, the way nature intended.

Native Plants That Thrive and Add Value to Your Home

By using native plants, especially wildflowers that are resistant to drought, you can greatly reduce the time and water required to maintain your front landscape. Once you’ve got these plants going, you seldom, if ever, have to water. As an added bonus, just like a garden, you only need to cut them at the end of the growing season. Keep in mind that you may need to consider minor soil treatments, like adding a few inches of organic matter or compost, but required maintenance is comparatively light. Do some research online or check with a local nursery.

Here are some common plants that are beautiful substitutes for lawn grass, by region:

  • Northeastern U.S. - Wild Geranium, Little Bluestem, and Aster
  • Midwestern U.S. - Purple Coneflower, Little Bluestem, and Prairie Clover
  • Southwestern U.S. - Showy Primrose, Pastel Poppy, and Desert Marigold
  • Northwestern U.S. - Purple Needlegrass, Pacific Coast Iris, and Tidytips
  • Southeastern U.S. - Plains Coreopsis, Southern Ragwort, and Blanket Flower

Groundcovers that Beautify and Delight

Consider some groundcover plants that stay green through all seasons and flower periodically in the spring and summer. A four-leafed clover may represent the luck o' the Irish, but a Dutch White Clover can be the luck of your pocketbook. It's a beautiful plant that stays low to the ground (unlike its cousins the Yellow Blossom and Red Clovers that can grow up to 3 feet in a season), needs very little care, and thrives in poor soil. Incidentally, for you dog owners, it even stands up to Grover’s daily needs, which as you know, can cause ugly burn marks in normal lawn grass.

A Hybrid isn't Just a Car

If going from a green lawn to an entirely natural front landscape is too much of a radical change for you, try a hybrid approach. Keep half of your lawn, and reshape an area for native plants and ground covers. It will reduce maintenance time, and allow you to keep the appearance of a traditional lawn. You could even try adding a rock garden. Some of the most beautiful and award-winning lawns include rock or stone covered areas. Now that's true curb appeal!

Curb Appeal for Conversation

Getting people talking about your home is job #1 when trying to sell. Ignoring curb appeal might get you noticed, but not in the way you want. By trying some new and non-traditional ways to maintain your lawn area, you can increase your curb appeal and be environmentally friendly at the same time. Whether or not you face a tough real estate market, you'll still gain an edge over the competition with a great first-impression. Native plants and groundcovers make your house stand out, and might be just the push you need to entice the right buyer through the front door.

This article is reprinted by permission from Quicken Loans © 2007 Quicken Loans Inc. All rights reserved.

 

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