Does anyone know of eco-friendly alternatives for traditional grass lawns?

Question

I live in Canada and we have a short growing season. I would like to replace my grass lawn with a low ground cover that doesn't require a lot of watering or cutting. I don't want a rock garden or wood chips. I'll have to be able to rake leaves on it in the fall. I don't have kids or pets so it doesn't matter if it is "treadable". Any ideas?

Answer 1

Mixed areas with different heights, colors, textures, and bloom times will be most interesting. One very old idea is a 'Persian Carpet' of thymes. Select 6-8 different thymes and set them out of blocks of color. Ohme Gardens are famous for theirs. http://www.co.chelan.wa.us/og/index.htm
http://books.google.com/books?id=Ky-WVGIqkWAC&pg=PA99&lpg=PA99&dq=thyme+persian+carpet+lawn&source=web&ots=COVprGrGlR&sig=Zz5C6O4IKazViYlI_fogqshbSzQ
http://www.superbherbs.net/design.htm
www.toronto.ca/health/pesticides/pdf/gardening_lawnalternatives.pdf
GROUND COVER mixed native planting ‘Perennial Ground Covers’ by Davis MacKenzie
Wintergreen or Teaberry Gaulthria procumbens is durable and a North American native. Looks good with Japanese pieris or dwarf Rhododendrons. Many rhododendron's can be 1-2 feet tall and good to zone 6 or 5 if sheltered.
http://www.rhodyman.net/rarhodydw.html
Interplant with other trailing ground covers like trailing arbutus, partridge berry or prince's pine. Some foot traffic is tolerated, at least enough to do leaf clean up..
Trailing arbutus, Mayflower, Epigaea repens an ornamental, fragrant 2 inch tall ‘tree’ in the Ericaceae family.
Mitchella repens partridge berry, squaw vine a small creeping perennial evergreen herb indigenous to wooded areas of eastern and central USA.
Chimaphila umbellate, prince's pine, is relatively rare semi-woody 6-10 inches tall. It is found in dry woodlands, or sandy soils.
http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/epigaearepe.html

Arctostaphylos uva-ursil-Bearberry 3-8” this is not a tight plant so easily allows bulbs up. Very hardy as it is a type of Manzanita with edible bland berries in fall. This is a really good moderate scale planting. There are many named cultivars for different growing conditions.


Bog rosemary Andromeda glaucophylla blooms in spring. Will not like shade.
Bergenia cordifolia consider 'Bressingham's White' This is called heartleaf bergenia or pig squeek. Good for semi-small area ground covers. Very durable but slow spreading.
4-Or B.crassifolia leather bergenia a native of Mongolia, 1ft tall x 1.5 ft wide.
Cotoneaster congestus Pyrenees cotoneaster is tiny and slow to grow. Usually a specimen plant or grouped as an accent with lower ground covers as this one gets 3 feet tall
Heather Calluna Vulgaris or heath Erica carnea or Arcostaphylos alpina plants with various periods of bloom. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/heather/heather_family.html
http://www.backyardgardener.com/pren/pg61.html
http://www.rockspray.com/
Evergreen strawberry Fragaria 'Pink Panda'

Answer 2

My husband and I are getting older, and will be unable to cut our hill in the future. We've been replacing the grass on the hills with horizontal juniper. I've seen this done in many areas, and we like the way is looks. It seems to take over and become an attractive ground cover with no care. Being in Wisconsin, we have some similar weather. Check the tags on the plants to be sure they're Hardy enough for your area.
As far as the leaves area concerned, I think they would just fall inbetween and become mulch.

Answer 3

You live in Canada, as do I. I hate my grass and was thinking of Magic Carpet Lemon Thyme. Below Describes what it is....

Magic Carpet Lemon
Thymus praecox articus 'Magic Carpet'

Uses: Culinary/Medicinal/Aromatic Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 5-8)
When to Sow: Spring/Late Summer/Early Fall Ease of Germination: Easy
This thyme is incredible for two reasons: It is the lowest growing carpeting thyme that can be grown from seeds, lower than wild thyme, growing only 5cm/2” high! And it is the only lemon thyme variety that can be grown from seeds! Flowers are carmine-pink from May to July. Magic Carpet is well suited for rock gardens, between patio stones, and as a ground cover in sunny areas.

Now having that is quite a sight!! Not only for you, but your neighbours will like it!! I hope you like the smell of lemons. Might end up with people lying on the front yard, smelling it!!
Happy Gardening!!!

Answer 4

How big of an area are we talking here. Creeping Thyme is nice and easy care. Can be walked on, will spring back up. Smells nice and flowers. It only gets about 3 inches tall. This is also drought tolerant. Can be mowed after it's done blooming for a neater look. It will re-grow to its original height minus the flowers. Crown vetch is a taller choice and it also blooms. Also a vining Vinca with a purplish flower. Very low growing.

Answer 5

I am using native ferns, sedges and wildflowers. You would have to research what would be appropriate for your area. Wild ginger and wild geranium are good groundcovers, if they are native to your area. Ostrich fern is easy to grow; sensitive fern is another good one.

Answer 6

the new field turf would be perfect. that is what i have and it looks and feels like grass and is very weatherproof. it is awesome. My neighbors are putting it in too. no maintenance or water or anything it is perfect.

Answer 7

try moss you can walk on it you can rake leaves on it and you dont have to mow it. research what type grows in your area

Answer 8

AstroTurf