The battle of the lawn continues

The front lawn is the site of many eco-friendly debates these days. More consumers are ripping out portions of the front yard, replacing the thirsty carpet with drought-tolerant shrubs and perennials.

It’s causing some neighbors to cry foul. Some folks complain that beds filled with waterwise plants look weedy and overgrown. Others point out that this landscape choice violates neighborhood association regulations.

Personally, I love a nice lawn. There’s just something about that open expanse of green that I find comforting. And then I face my gardening reality. Texas is known for its hot, dry summers. There’s no way you can keep the front yard looking decent without racking up a huge water bill.

That’s why this spring my husband and I ripped out a portion of the grass and put in an island bed with some tough perennials and shrubs. It looked a heck of a lot better than dead, yellowing grass.

What side of the lawn debate are you on? Post a comment and let us know.

And check out some of the links that offer more insight on the battle of the lawn:
Replacing the lawn makes ecological sense. San Francisco Chronicle
Grass warfare. The Wall Street Journal
Front lawns and the law. Garden Rant

-- Sarah

Comments

[pokey]

I am with you Sarah. Scrap the front lawns where possible in favor of more water conservative vegetation. I live in Central NY where it is pretty much lush all summer without extensive watering. However, I have a relative who lives in San Antonio. We flew out there last year. While approaching the airport we had our heads glued to the window peering at the lanscape. Brown, everything was brown until we crossed the line from open fields to homes. Green, everything was green. My first thought was about how water it takes to make that happen.