Publication Date: Friday Aug 15, 1997

Goodbye to grass

QI have a large grass area in my yard. I am tired of continually watering and mowing. Can you suggest a grass substitute that will take less water and will be more resilient in this climate? AIt is interesting that you take note of the labor and resources involved in maintaining an area of grass in this environment. An exceptionally high percentage of household water is dedicated to garden use. Bearing this in mind, you might consider choosing plants that will tolerate less water and resources. When thinking about lawn replacements, it is important to first consider the intended use of the area. Will it be an area of heavy traffic, or will it only be used for the occasional family picnic? Is it preferable that the plant flower during the time of year that the area is most frequently used? Is a scented plant desirable? Will the plant be in sun or shade? All of these factors will obviously affect your choice of plants.

I often recommend herbs as a substitute because they offer so many functional and aesthetic possibilities in gardens. For instance, chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile) forms an exciting green mat with yellow button flowers above its foliage throughout the summer.

The leaves have a strong odor when crushed, and the dried flowers can be used in herbal tea. The variety of chamomile known as Treneague is a non-flowering variety that will not require mowing. I prefer to plant chamomile in partial shade because they can be thirsty when grown in full sun.

Ground covering thymes (Thymus sp.) on the other hand thrive in full sun and require very little additional water once they are established. I have found about 70 different varieties of thyme that are available in flavors ranging from coconut to lavender. In my experience, thyme will withstand some foot traffic, but not continual wear on the same path.

The mother-of-thyme (Thymus praecox arcticus) is a creeping thyme that will eventually become a dense, dark-green mat with white or purple flowers clustered above the foliage from mid-summer to early autumn. Woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuguinosus) is always a favorite because of its small gray foliage and pink flowers.

If the area will receive regular foot traffic, then you might consider planting Phyla nodiflora (Lippia). This lawn substitute forms a ground-hugging low mat of gray-green leaves that are topped with tight rounded heads of rose-colored flowers.

A wonderful free-flowering lawn substitute is the blue star creeper (Laurentia fluviatilis). Its blue flowers appear in early spring and last throughout summer in a sunny or partially shaded area.

Local garden centers will carry pre-mixed seed and plant varieties suitable for your particular area. Most ground-covering plants prefer a well-drained and aerated soil in order to spread successfully. Preparing the soil by incorporating organic compost into the top 12 inches before leveling the surface will encourage deep root growth.

Select juvenile plant material from your garden center to minimize the initial shock when the plants are transplanted from their containers. Garden centers will generally supply ground-covering lawn substitutes in 4-inch containers or large flats. From there, you can divide the plants into smaller pieces and plant them 12 to 18 inches apart.



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