Reduce the Size of Your Lawn — and Your Yard Work

America’s love for lawns is alive and well, but more of us are letting other features into the yard. In a nationally representative Consumer Reports survey, almost a third of homeowners who made changes to their lawn in the last year reduced its size in some way, for example, replacing grass with patio space, ground cover, flower beds, or even artificial turf.

We spoke with lawn and garden pros from around the country, plus major retailers and manufacturers, to learn exactly how residential landscapes are being reimagined.

Grass needs a lot of water and fertilizer to stay thick and verdant. Plus there’s all that mowing. So reducing your lawn’s size saves work, time, and money, especially with rising water costs and rebates that some municipalities offer homeowners who trade their lawns for a low-water alternative. In Glendale, Ariz., for example, residents can earn $150 to $750, depending on how much grass they remove.

In addition to saving time and money, shrinking your lawn can also solve problems. To manage cut-through foot traffic on a corner lot and improve curb appeal, for example, replace a part of your lawn with a border of low-maintenance perennials, shrubs, and ornamental grasses.

Plants that are used to the local climate and soil conditions can survive without lots of water and fertilizer. Nurseries are getting on board with this trend by making native species more readily available.

You can also contact your local cooperative extension service to get ideas about climate-appropriate species. Or go to the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense website for a state-by-state plant selector. Those sources might lead you to hardy ornamental grasses that change with the season; shade-loving ground cover, such as hostas or autumn fern; or species that withstand foot traffic, such as ornamental thyme.

Growing your own vegetables is cost-effective and easier than ever. Home centers now carry large assortments of packaged seeds and starter plants of herbs and vegetables. While some people may see edible garden simply as a enjoyable hobby, it’s also driven by the local-food movement and the desire to know where their food is coming from.

It’s a good idea to have your soil tested before cultivating vegetables at home, especially if you live in an urban area where lead may be a concern. Container gardening, in pots or raised planters, allows you to control the soil if testing turns up a problem. Vertical gardening, wall-mounted planters in which you grow beans, strawberries, tomatoes, and more, is another option.

Outdoor “rooms” are growing in popularity, with the lawn playing an integral role. Consumers are looking beyond the usual folding chairs and grill, equipping their open-air gathering spaces with weather-resistant furnishings, fire pits, and even televisions and other media. Retailers are making such projects easier by selling modular kits for fire pits, benches, and more.

Backyard water elements—a simple fountain, for example, or a man-made brook or pond—are also hot. In stressed-out economic times, it’s relaxing to listen to the sound of water flowing while you’re cooking on the grill.  Locally sourced stone is popular for patios, and better-looking composites are coming on strong for decks.

Depositing clippings on the lawn instead of bagging them returns nutrients back into the soil, reducing fertilizing needs by as much as 30 percent. When buying fertilizer, consider the environmental friendliness of the ingredients, along with ease of application and price.

When changing their lawn, most homeowners prefer seed over sod. Seeding is cheaper, and it lets you tailor the mix to your yard conditions and choose from a wide variety of species, including less-thirsty ones, such as tall fescue.

Drip irrigation systems, which put water directly onto root systems, are also catching on. So are weather-based sprinkler controls, which use climate sensors, Wi-Fi communication, and other technologies to monitor local conditions and irrigate more efficiently by, for example, turning off when rain is due. Items that used to be special-order have gone mainstream,including rain barrels and compost bins.

Originally posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News