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No Need for Grass on Your Front Lawn with These Landscaping Ideas

A beautiful-looking home on the outside is all about curb appeal and there are plenty of ways for your house to grab all the attention it needs with these lawn-free front garden ideas.

04/07/2023

 

 

 

 

Spending less time on gardening means more time to spend on yourself on weekends. Having to spend hours on maintaining and mowing the lawn, trimming edges and so on is a waste of your valuable time, so it makes a lot of sense to remove as much lawn as you can and focus more on water-wise or less maintenance garden options. Removing lawn from the front garden opens up so many interesting ways to design and landscape the space and will add plenty of curb appeal. Here are some environmentally friendly solutions to a front garden with no lawn!

 

 

 

 

Lawn requires a lot of maintenance to keep it green and lush. It also requires plenty of water and fertiliser if you want a good-looking lawn. Unfortunately, lawn also requires regular maintenance, and by maintenance we mean weekly mowing, removing weeds, and trimming edges. Even if you have a weekly gardener or garden service once a week, there is only so much that they do. Establishing a grass-free front garden is well worth the effort and, if done right, will cut down on how much time needs to be spent to have a front garden that adds curb appeal.

 

 

Even a small swatch of lawn is a maintenance-intensive component of a garden and one that requires regular attention and plenty of water to keep it green and lush throughout the year. Climate change is bringing about hotter temperatures during our summer and this in a region that already struggles through water restrictions.

 

 

Your first step will be to draw up a list of what you want to do with your front garden and what you will need to get the job done. A great way to start is to browse social media for ideas and inspiration. You will get a lot of ideas here but bear in mind that not all the items and plants may be available locally. With online gardening experts that offer advice on indigenous plants, and plants you might find at your nearest garden centre, it is best to start here and compile a list of suitable plants. Keep in mind that your local garden centre or reputable local online sites will be able to offer expert advice on what grasses, plants, shrubs and trees are best suited to your climate region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note: The images displayed on this page are courtesy of Yardzen and inspired me to put together this article. While this company is based in the U.S., they design some of the most amazing outdoor spaces with emphasis on water-wise, eco-friendly garden landscapes for functional and stunning outdoor spaces.

 

 

 

A grass lawn is only green during the warmer months of the year and is yellow during the colder months. With the right plants for the front garden, you can have a colourful and interesting garden throughout the year.

 

 

 

A drought-resistant garden is ideal for those areas that only receive minimal rainfall throughout the year and is also the best choice for the homeowner who doesn't want to do any gardening. Combine drought-resistant plants with landscape elements such as rocks, gravel, and paving, or bring in indigenous plants suitable for your region, and you can design a stunning front garden that requires minimal care and attention. On my front pavement, I have installed synthetic turf and planted hardy plants that require zero maintenance. The only maintenance required is to occasionally use a blower to remove leaves and debris. While my neighbours have yellow grass and bare plants during winter, my pavement is green and alive.

 

 

 

 

Drought-resistant and water-wise planting can look just as good as any front garden and, in fact, it provides the canvas for muted colours that complement each other and sculptural interest all year round.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are lucky enough to have so many indigenous plant species that provide abundant colour and texture to a garden - even without water. Planting a selection of grasses, groundcovers, and compact-growing shrubs will ensure a year-round display for a pavement garden or a back garden. Ask for advice at your local garden centre on the type of plants suitable for your region placing emphasis on plants that grow in clumps to keep maintenance as low as possible. Grasses generally grow taller to provide a contrast to groundcovers and low-growing plants while indigenous shrubs and small trees give the entire garden a sculptural feel, enhanced by any landscaping materials you incorporate into the design.

 

 

 

 

Hard landscaping materials such as gravel or mulch, small, medium, and large rock and paving slabs all contribute to the overall design.

 

 

 

 

Zero-Maintenance Front Garden or Pavement

There are several factors to keep in mind when designing and shopping to establish a zero-maintenance front garden or pavement and these will help you better design the space to add curb appeal and still be water-wise and drought-tolerant.

  • HEIGHT
  • Select plants in varying heights that will draw the eye across the entire landscape. Use low-growing plants in conjunction with grasses, medium-height shrubs and trees suitable for a small garden.
  • SHAPE
  • Be on the lookout for plants that have interesting shapes or create a sculptural outline such as Aloe Vera or Agave, Yucca or Cordyline varieties, deciduous trees with an interesting profile, and fill in any spaces with colourful grasses and flowering groundcovers.
  • HABITAT
  • Only select those plants that are suitable for your region and climate and that are drought-resistant or frost hardy depending on your location.
  • COLOUR & CONTRAST
  • Purchase a selection of foliage colours, especially those that will contrast against each other. Think the blue-grey of an Agave to contrast against a variegated red-leaf Cordyline. You want to create an eye-catching canvas of colours, textures and profiles.

 

 

 

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