Few things are more frustrating than a messy front yard. In addition to disrupting your curb appeal, overgrown, messy landscaping can also harbor pests and make it look like you don't care about your property. Fortunately, tidying up your yard doesn't have to be difficult. I have spent years learning more about landscaping, and this blog is all about how to become a landscaping enthusiast. Check out these articles about fun topics like planting flowers, perfecting pruned trees, and decorating your yard with whimsical additions. After you know more about landscaping, your yard might become the talk of the town.
For many people, having a perfectly landscaped lawn is exactly what they need in their life. It can improve both the aesthetic integrity and financial value of your home. However, for any number of reasons – due to everything from lack of time to severe allergies – many people do not wish to deal with having natural grass. There are no worries in this day and age, however. There are numerous alternatives to grass for your yard. Throughout the course of this brief article, you will learn about 4 specific alternatives to grass for your lawn.
Sedge
Sedge is quickly becoming one of the most popular alternatives to grass for your lawn. Sedge grows in clumps, which is different from grass, but it is quite similar to grass in the leaves that it bears; they are incredibly similar to grass leaflets. Sedge is also quite famous for its ease of growth. It can generally grow in most types of soil, and it is also easily grown in most USDA hardiness zones. Sedge can also be easily stylized, as well. You can mow sedge, in order to give it a style that is similar to traditional forms of grass, or you can allow it to grow much longer, allowing it to take on the appearance of a meadow.
Moss
Moss is highly recommended to people with soil that is present in shady areas and has a high acidic content. Moss is easily able to grow in such areas. Moss is also very easy to maintain, and generally looks good alongside evergreens and other types of perennials. Moss is quite resilient in some ways, but quite fragile in others. For example, it needs little in either sunlight or water to stay alive, but foot traffic can easily destroy moss. Moss is recommended if you live in a shady area and it is placed in a spot where foot traffic cannot so easily reach it.
Clover
Clover is another incredibly resilient alternative to traditional forms of grass. Clover is a type of legume that can thrive in only partial sunlight and needs very little in the way of fertilization or watering. Although clover can generally grow anywhere that it is planted, it thrives in areas with pH zones of 6 to 8, depending on the type of clover. Much like moss, however, foot traffic is not particular forgiving to it. Although it can handle foot traffic quite well if it experiences it in moderation, if it is constantly trampled under foot, then it could suffer from some severe forms of damage. It is not recommended if you have children constantly playing on your lawn.
Mondo Grass
The name is a bit of a misnomer, as mondo grass is not actually a grass, technically speaking. It does, however, bare an incredible similarity to grass. It is an evergreen cover and quite perfect for those wishing to achieve a no grass lawn. Mondo grass can grow upwards of six inches and provides excellent cover for your soil, as well. It is adapted to pH zones 5.5 to 6.5, and, although native to Asia, it handles itself quite well in areas in North America. Unlike clover and moss, mondo grass handles foot traffic quite well; although, it is not quite as resilient as traditional forms of grass.
Grassless alternatives for your lawn are becoming increasingly popular in this day and age. Hopefully, this brief article has given you some idea of how to populate your lawn with foliage that, while not quite grass, can give it a unique look and an excellent sense of aesthetics and style. Happy landscaping! For more information, contact a business such as Wagner Sod, Landscaping and Irrigation Co., Inc.
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