In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some basics on how to landscape a yard that doesn’t contain grass. While grass is one of the most common landscaping elements found in most yards, there are those that – either due to preference or circumstance – do not contain any, and it’s still easily possible to design a great landscape in these situations.
At Lawn Care Experts, we’re proud to offer our clients a wide range of landscaping services, including lawn care but also featuring several other landscaping solutions. For those who either do not want grass in their landscape or have some set of conditions preventing grass from being present, we’re happy to help build your landscape regardless. Here are two other situations where you may be looking at a grass-free landscape, plus some general themes for how to design them.
Soil Issues
For many property owners, the issue that prevents you from keeping grass in the landscape is poor soil. The soil may have high quantities of clay, for instance, or may lack nutrients due to the area it’s in.
In certain cases, however, this has to do with what you’re trying to grow in the soil. There are several perennials that are known to grow well in tough soil, including each of the following:
- Periwinkle: A creeping groundcover that creates blossoms in the shape of stars, and grows to about a foot in height. Periwinkle is known to limit weed growth, an added benefit. It prefers partial shade.
- Lenten roses: Tough plants that withstand not only poor soil but also drought, heat and humidity. They prefer part sun or full shade.
- Bleeding hearts: A resilient bush with heart-shaped blossoms, hence the name. Part shade is the preference here.
- Black jack sedum: A dark purple sedum variety that’s easy to grow and will sprout gorgeous pink blossoms. This is a tall plant up to three feet in height, plus one that does well in full sun.
Droughts and Tolerance
In other cases, lack of grass in a landscape is due to an area that’s drought-prone. This could be because grass won’t grow, or because you’re looking to conserve water by going in other directions. In the latter case, here are some plants that require very little water and still look good:
- Succulents: Moisture-filled leaves help these desert plants conserve water, allowing them to survive long periods of drought.
- Ornamental grasses: You may not want natural grass, but ornamental versions are ideal as a focal point.
- Cacti: Some of the most well-known desert plants are cacti, which also add flair to many non-desert landscapes.
- Inorganic mulch: Fill your gaps with pebbles or stones rather than other forms of mulch that will retain too much moisture.
For more on how to achieve a great landscape design without grass involved, or to learn about any of our lawn maintenance or other landscaping services, speak to the staff at Lawn Care Experts today.