8 Grass Alternatives for Lawns That Are Better For the Environment

By Geoffrey Sperring

June 27, 2025

The weather is hot, and your once beautiful lawn is parched and brown. You can't get it green even though you're using plenty of water. It doesn't need to be like this. Numerous lawn alternatives are easy to maintain and need little water. Viable alternatives to grass for lawns include rock and gravel gardens, native plants, ground cover, low-mow grasses and xeriscapes.

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Low-maintenance landscaping is a workable and exciting alternative to traditional turf. Benefits of eco-friendly lawn options include:

Low maintenance
Drought tolerance
Water conservation
Increased biodiversity

Here are eight alternatives to consider for your lawn.

1. Gardens

Garden beds are a good way to reduce large expanses of lawn. They provide points of focus and are easier to maintain. Gardens filled with flowers attract insects and pollinators. Gardens can replace lawns in several ways:

Flower Beds and Borders

Use flowerbeds with borders to reduce the amount of lawn. They may be planted around the house, under trees and in partial shade or full sun.

Gravel Gardens

Remove the lawn and fill the spaces between flower beds with gravel. Gravel contrasts with the greenery in the beds and requires minimal maintenance, mainly the occasional weeding. Gravel gardens are ideal for areas where watering is restricted.

Rock Gardens

Used in place of gravel, rock gardens need little care and provide good drainage. They're suited to succulent and drought-tolerant plants and a good habitat for small creatures and insects. They add depth to a flat landscape and work with or without complementary patches of lawn.

2. Native Plant Lawns

Plant native plants, shrubs and grasses in place of turf. It's best to choose varieties suited to the area. These plants can replace the lawn or, if preferred, be placed in large beds with walkways in between. Native vegetation lends a pleasing natural look to the garden and attracts local insects and birds. Examples of native plants that replace lawns include:

Barren strawberry: A fast-spreading, low-maintenance herbaceous perennial that grows to 6 inches high with pretty yellow flowers.
Carex turf: A blade-leafed plant that forms spreading tufts that can be mowed and needs little water or fertilizer.
Ornamental grasses: Attractive native grasses, such as tall fescue, switchgrass and prairie dropseed.

3. Xeriscaping for Yards

A xeriscape garden is one that’s adapted to the local climate. It uses natural plants that need only a small amount of supplemental irrigation. In semi-desert areas, ideal plants include succulents, cone flowers and cacti, with gravel or paving slab walkways. In more watered areas, choose local perennials and herbs together with ground cover as alternatives to grass for lawns.

4. Meadow Lawn

Retaining the appearance of a wild meadow, this type of lawn is filled with native plants, flowering plants and wildflowers. It mimics the natural ecosystem and provides a blaze of diverse colors in springtime. Meadow lawns may be mowed to make pathways and are good for the soil.

5. Edible Garden Alternatives to Grass for Lawns

This lawn is an informal habitat filled with edible plants. Choose plants that grow easily in your climate, preferably local ones. Combine the garden with fruit trees, fruit-bearing plants and root vegetables. Add in attractive plants like sunflowers, blackberries, elderberries and chives. You can also add herbs such as sage, rosemary and thyme or plant edible leafy greens. Soil preparation is important, as is ensuring the plants have sufficient water.

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6. Ground Covers

Ground covers are spreading plants that grow no more than a few inches high. These hardy plants form a dense mat that smothers weeds. They're strong enough to handle moderate foot traffic, and you can mow them if they grow too tall. Drought-tolerant ground cover requires very little water or fertilizer. Native ground cover alternatives to grass for lawns include:

Green and gold: A spreading plant with yellow flowers that grows to 4 inches high. It prefers moist, well-drained soil.
Moss: Ideal for shady backyards, moss is green year-round and has a lovely soft texture.
Clover: Requiring around five hours of sun a day, clover lawn benefits include biodiversity, encouraging pollinators and staying green during winter.

7. No-Mow Lawn Alternatives

Unlike traditional lawns, no-mow grasses need only occasional mowing and have moderate water and fertilization needs. They help keep weeds down. No-mow alternatives include:

Fine fescue: This is a grass species with a soft, fine texture that's tolerant to drought, sun and shade.
Buffalograss: A tuft grass that's heat- and drought-resistant, it only needs mowing in spring.
Centipede grass: Known as "lazy man's grass," this slow-growing tuft of grass is suited to hot and sunny conditions.
No-mow zoysia: This species of zoysia grass (Zoysia tenuifolia) only needs to be mowed twice a year.

8. Artificial Turf

With the introduction of more durable fibers and colors, artificial turf is a popular alternative to grass for lawns. Synthetic turfs have a permeable backing that improves water drainage, and most types have antimicrobial protection. They look and feel natural and are comfortable to walk on.

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