The 3 Best Lawn Alternatives for Drought-Conscious Californian's

dreamy blend of california native wildflowers in glendale front yard turf replacement rebate
California Native Grasses

I'll be honest, "easy" might be a bit of a misnomer here. No matter how you prune it, landscaping projects can be a big undertaking and usually require a lot of physical labor to start.

But easy is as easy does. And these lawn alternative choices do big long-term benefits. They are WAY lower maintenance and lower water than traditional lawn after the first year. Plus they're much better for the environment. So long mow 'n blow! We want to keep the gardeners around of course. Just get them on pruners and mulching instead. Read on for the 3 basic material palettes you should consider for lawn alternatives in 2024.

Easy Lawn Alternative 1:

Drought-Tolerant Plants

There's a lot of options when it comes to drought-tolerant plants. More than 20,000 to be exact! The extremities of drought-prone climates have forced a huge array of beautiful adaptations in plants. And we are just starting to get a handle on how to use them to replace lawn in California landscaping. 

From silver-leaved beauties to succulent rosettes you can make just about every classic landscape look with drought-tolerant plants. Grouping them with plant community members and soils that are similar to their native wild habitats will yield the greatest success and highest savings. Here are some tried and true drought tolerant plant looks: 

 

Native California Wildflowers

Most of California's wildflowers are adapted to very long periods of drought. And do great with deep less frequent waterings in summer. Many are susceptible to disease and die quickly if over-watered in hot seasons. Great soil drainage is essential for their success in the home garden. The easiest cheat is to place 2-3" deep of drainage gravel or rock in the bottom of planting holes. Ensuring your finished soil surface is still level or just above plant crowns.  

  • Improve soil drainage wherever sand & rock isn't abundant
  • Space 3-4' apart for full coverage with mid-sized shrubs in 1-2 years
  • Water 1-2x week deeply in summer
  • Keep drip omitters at least 6-12" away from plant trunks
  • Order online

Best California Native Wildflower Blends: All the sages! Salvia leucophylla, Salvia Clevelandii, Salvia microphylla (Arizona native) Monkey Flower, California Sagebrush (Artemisia californica), Eriogonum / Buckwheat species, Coyote Brush 'Pigeon Point', or Lessingia groundcover, Verbena, Yarrow, Santa Barbara Daisy. Space Yarrow and daisy 1' apart. 

Spreading Groundcover

Spreading groundcover is the cheapest lawn replacement option. If you can get a couple of good spreading Ceanothus or Rosemary plants going you can cover an entire front yard with 10-20 plants. Though not walkable, these plants can cover slopes and spaces you’d like to leave open but not bare. The trick is getting the soil conditions for them just right or you'll suffer fungus infections and woody bare foliage if they survive. 

  • Southern California Groundcover Plants: Rock Purslane, Rosemary 'huntington carpet,' Ceanothus ‘yankee point’ and ‘Bee’s bliss’ Salvia can spread 5-10 feet if adequate soil drainage is provided.
  • Northern California Groundcover Plants: Juniper, Bearberry and creeping Manzanita can quickly cover hillsides. While yerba buena, wild ginger and columbines can fill-in deep shade under large trees.
  • Dry Shade: Hummingbird Sage (salvia spatheca) Deer Grass and Catalina Perfume or Evergreen Huckleberry can work wonders. Creeping Raspberry and wild strawberries have also been known to happily fill-in well mulched spaces. 

You can shop bulk online spreading groundcover landscaping plant packages in attractive blends by clicking here.  

If you're looking for something to plant around fruit trees, Sterile or Native Frogfruit varieties (Phyla nodiflora & Lippia nodiflora) work wonders under citrus and other fruit trees, a few rooted cuttings here and there on a slope will happily take using only the water from your tree drippers, steadily attract pollinators and spread rapidly in most climates. Some additional irrigation may be required in hottest inland environments. 

Cactus & Succulents (Borderline Xeric Gardens)

Many xeric gardens can survive with little to no supplemental water - particularly when within 5 miles of the coast. But starting low-water plants off with some regular drip irrigation will help them establish much faster and healthier than most can manage without supplemental irrigation. Succulents in Southern California typically require part-shade or dry season drip irrigation to withstand prolonged heat. 

 

xeric california garden on slope

 

 Some supplemental

  • Space 5' apart for large cacti 
  • and succulents
  • Irrigate with drip for fastest fill-in
  • Succulents require part-shade 15 miles inland 
  • irrigation is usually a good idea where rainfall is less than 20" a year. Remember cactus can be slow-growing. And good SOIL DRAINAGE is key to their success.

 

 Favorite Cactus & Succulents (sun): Rock Purslane (Caladrinia), Desert Spoon (Dasilirion), Thornless Prickly Pear, Chalk Lettuce (Dudleya), Blue Agave, Foxtail Agave, Aeonium's, Aloe Vera, Echeverias, Paddle Plant (kalanchoe)

 

Mediterranean Shrubs:In addition to being some of the easier and more versatile drought tolerant's, mediterranean herbs & small trees are also some of the more useful (whether you get around to using them or not). Here’s some top-performing industry favorite varieties for that clean, coastal, silver foliage feel.

  • Favorite Mediterranean Garden Plants: Rosemary ‘Boule’, Lavender ‘goodwyn creek’, Thyme - thymus citrodonis, Lavender cotton - santolina virens, Catmint ‘walker’s low’
  • Mediterranean Accent Trees: Dwarf olive - ‘little ollie’ or ‘montra,’ Strawberry tree (arbutus marina), Cypress ‘tiny tower’ and Bay laurel.

 

Easy Lawn Alternative 2:

Native Grass and Walkable Groundcover

California native grasses grow and look a little different than old-fashioned lawn. But they require half the water (or less) during droughts and are mowing optional. They are the most drought-tolerant when left long during hot weather. Native grass and low-water ground cover options are both much cheaper and much better for the environment than artificial turf. 
Best Native Grasses & GroundcoversCalifornia wild lawn alternatives infographic sterile frogfruit groundcover lawn native bentgrass lawn and ornamental grass meadow

Sterile Frogfruit Groundcover

AKA: Phylla nodiflora, Verbena nodiflora, Frogfruit, Turkey Tangle, Tanglefoot trefoil etc. There's really only one spreading groundcover that currently works as a full-coverage lawn in California. Luckily, it’s the most Waterwise option to date (UC Davis study). Phyla nodiflora is a succulent native groundcover recently hybridized to prevent seeding. Lippia nodiflora is a similar spreading ground cover lawn option sold in flats. Lippia is a truer California native ground cover lawn with a touch less verdancy. See this LA Times article for more.
  • Pet-friendly 
  • Stays 1-3” high without mowing
  • Optional: mow once-a-month to minimize flowers (bee habitat plant) 
  • Thrives with deep watering every 1-2 weeks in summer once mature
  • Order Online
 

California Gold - Native Bentgrass

AKA: Agrostis pallens, San Diego Bentgrass, Thingrass, California bentgrass etc. This is the closest thing to conventional sod that California native grass has accomplished so far. But it's still got quirks! The water-savings over conventional lawn start at %50 and increase the longer the height the grass is maintained at.
  • Dog-friendly native lawn option
  • Without mowing grows 12-18" long and takes on a warm soft green look. Biannual string trim required. 
  • Regular mowing - maintain at 2-4" height for a verdant lawn in cool-seasons and some patchiness in summer
  •  Order Online

California Silver - Native Fescue

AKA: Festuca californica, Festuca rubra, Festuca idahoensis, Festuca occidentalis, Delta Bluegrass Native Mow-Free, Hillside Fine Fescue Blend, etc. This no-mow meadow grass blend is long and sweepy with finer blades than other native ornamental grasses. It's made from a blend of fescues native to plains all over the West. It is much more drought-tolerant than conventional fescue lawn grasses.
  • No-Mow meadow grass grows to 6-12" high
  • Thrives in part-shade or full shade inland
  • Deep green, soft look
  • Great for slopes & around oaks
  • Order Online 

Deer Grass - Large Ornamental Grass Meadow

Large California Native Ornamental Grasses: Deer Grass (Muhlenbergia rigens) Deer grass or muhlenbergia rigens is the easiest lawn replacement no-mow meadow grass. It's big ornamental shape means you can space it generously for rapid full-coverage.  

 

  • Space Deer Grass 4-5' for coverage in as little as a year
  • Cut back to 6" or hard-rake out dead blades in winter
  • Order Online
Other California native ornamental grasses you can use to replace lawns: 
  • Alkali Dropseed (Sporobolous airoides)
  • Elk Gray Rush (Juncus patens 'elk gray')
  • Dune Sedge (Carex pansa)
  • Meadow Sedge (Carex praceagalis) 
  • Gramma Grass (Bouteloua gracilis 'blonde ambition') 
  • Order Online
Try a contemporary style mixed lawn by using 3-5 different mowable meadow grasses or wildflowers together.
Other Alternatives - Flat Groundcovers
Chances are you've heard of a handful of other lawn alternatives like: silver carpet Dymondia, Dichondra, creeping thyme and baby's tears. In my experience, none of these have proven to give the coverage or have the durability necessary to create a long-lasting groundcover lawn. But they do work great mixed with stepstones or rock gardens.


Why does it matter if you plant native lawn or no-mow grasses? 
About 4 million acres of California is currently old-fashioned lawn. That means turf grass makes up 5% of our state’s ecosystem. An ecosystem that was once grassland (with lots of rare and incredible wild species). So if we plant California native grasses or no-mow meadow grasses to replace our dying old lawns than we're actually taking a pretty big step in restoring some native environment. And improving drought resiliency of our landscapes. 

 

waterwise permeable hardscaping options for California

Easy Lawn Alternative 3:

Waterwise Hardscaping

Permeable hardscapes help rainwater infiltrate back into the landscape. They are one of the BEST things we can do to make a difference in California's water shortages. The more of them that replace pavement and asphalt the better!

You need open, walkable space for your landscape to be usable. 50/50 is a good balance for a large family or a house with lots of dogs. But much less is needed if you just want a nice seating area or 2 and some paths to wander. It's important to remember that even if you want to put down all permeable hardscape you need to add shade to be climate responsible. Removing lawn - even dead lawn - and replacing it with all exposed sand, concrete or gravel heats up the environment and makes more desert.

Let's all resist desertification by adding hardscaping responsibly! Even one or 2 shade trees to cool surface temps significantly (like at least 10-15 degrees F). Ultimately you want 2/3 - 3/4 of the exposed surface to be at least part shaded.

Best Shade Trees: Try Palo Verde, Shoestring or Fernleaf Acacia or Strawberry tree for 20-30' evergreens. Or 'Shademaster' Locust, Western Sycamore or Jacaranda if you want a seasonal shade canopy and don't mind the litter!  

Gravel 

Gravel patios and walkways have stood the test of time in European courtyards from Belgium to the Balearic islands. Use sharp-edged gravel for better rainwater infiltration. Anwyere from ⅜ to ¾ is a good diameter. Choose a warm color like ‘California Gold’ for more of a California feel or stick with traditional gray for more euro vibes. Layout gravel courtyards with a central accent like a birdbath, large decorative planter or firepit for a more formal look. Frame the edges with plants that grow 3-5’ to break up open spaces into outdoor dining or lounge areas. 

DG - Decomposed Granite  

Decomposed granite is a crushed rock dust that can be compacted into smooth flat surfaces. It’s very close in makeup to many California natives soils in canyon washes and foothill slopes. Golden poppies and cactus love to grow right in it (and so do weeds, so make sure it’s lined well!). Perfect for full sun, DG does tend to discolor if it gets wet in shade. It can also scratch wood flooring if tracked indoors so keep some distance between it and your entries. 

Permeable Pavers

Precast Concrete Pavers - A favorite modern walkway material. You can find these at most stoneyards ranging in sizes from 12x18” to 3x3.’ If you can’t find them you can always pick up 1x1’ ones at home depot and line them up 2 or 3 tight in a row for the modern look. Space pavers at 3” for groundcovers or sod to grow in between. Mix precast concrete pavers with DG or lawn in the gaps. Or in part shade plant succulent sedums! 

Spaced Paver Stones & Permeable Driveways - Many companies today offer paver stones with small spacers at the edges so you can have the refined look of pavers and great rainwater infiltration. Just make sure your masons don’t mortar in the cracks! When it comes to permeable driveways,I have some concerns around the environmental impact of the heavy duty plastic mats used for driveway lawns. Instead try concrete turfstone.   

Stepstones & groundcover

Loose Flagstone  offers a more informal look. Flagstone is a very affordable and thin material so it’s easy to move. It also comes in a huge range of colors and shapes. You’ll want to lay down sand to ensure the stones sit flat on your ground and don’t crack from walking pressure. There’s a lot of flexibility with piecing together walkways or casual patios with flagstones and stepstones. Again, leave gaps at a minimum of 3” for groundcovers or sod to grow between.