Water-Saving Grass Alternatives

Water-Saving Grass Alternatives

The reality of California weather is that rain is scarce and unreliable. For those considering a landscape design for their Sacramento home, there are quite a few grass alternatives with the same curb appeal of traditional turf. As you consider building a new landscape for your home, keep in mind that water conservation will go a long way for your monthly budget. Here are some ways in which you can avoid turf and instead still have a striking lawn.

Grass Alternatives

• Patio Garden:
  • Expand your patio with large slate rocks to cover much more space in your yard and have a landscape designer create planter boxes for an urban garden feel. This beautiful landscape alternative can turn an entire space into a modern masterpiece and great entertainment space in any backyard. Combine lounge chairs with water features and you’ll be right on your way to a luxurious Zen garden complete with home grown edible treats. A small patio garden as a grass alternative will use only 1/6 of the water generally use for a large expanse of grass.
• Mossy Slabs
• • Placing large stone slabs like a checker board in your backyard complete with mossy gaps will give any El Dorado Hills home a distinctly European tea garden feel. Great for early mornings spent reading or great for sunbathing, you can avoid issues like root rot and over watering with a water budget of just a few minutes twice a week for your accent plants.
• Desert Theme
  • Imagine your backyard as a desert oasis complete with beautiful earthy tones and splashes of desert roses. You can use sand, stone, and long drought tolerant grasses to transport you to a Mexican getaway in your own backyard. As a front yard feature, your beautiful landscape design with a desert theme will set you apart from all your neighbors while also adding value to your home.
• Succulent Retaining Walls
  • Utilizing succulents and large pieces of sandstone can create almost no need for an irrigation system at all. This Pinterest inspired landscape theme adds a contemporary wild garden feel to a water-smart yard solution. With a wide selection of hues and stone to choose from, the options are just as large as traditional landscape methods.
• Focal Points
  • Rather than using your grass as the focus point for your landscape, try using large landscape features like an arbor and larger trees to spruce up you backyard. Placed intermittently between drought tolerant long grasses and unique pebbles, it’s a great hiding spot from the hustle and bustle of the city. This will take the emphasis from your grass to functional and appealing focus points.
• No Mow Grasses
  • Rather than plant traditional turf or sod in your landscape design, instead use no mow grasses like desert grasses or thicker grasses. Though this is a much more specific style, things like buffalo grass and pacific grasses. This style will require less water and less maintenance so that you will be able to enjoy a green yard without the pitfalls of expensive water rates.