low-water landscape design
3 Easy Lawn Laternatives
for Drought-Concious Californian's
California native lawn
1. Native Grasses & Groundcover
A heck of a lot cheaper and wayyy better for the environment than artificial turf! Keep the lawn without covering it with plastic.
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! Mow on a regular but get less water savings or leave it long and mow just once a year to hit the refresh button.
Why does it matter if you plant Native lawn? Well about 4 million acres of California is currently lawn. That means turf grass makes up 5% of our state’s ecosystem. An area that was once mostly rare wild grasses. So if we at least choose native grasses to replace old lawn with than we're actually doing something halfway decent for restoring habitat.
Best Native Grasses & Groundcover
Alternative Lawn Species
Kurapia Groundcover: Phylla nodiflora
- The only native spreading groundcover that currently works as full-coverage lawn in California. And it's a SUCCULENT. Most Waterwise option on the market. This low-growing groundcover plant survives just fine on once a week watering. Lushes up quick with more.
California Bentgrass Lawn: Agrostis pallens
- The closest thing to conventional sod that California grass has accomplished so far. Without mowing it gets 12-18" long and takes on a warm soft green look. Gets some brown patches in summer, greens up in fall.
best native grasses & groundcovers
Kurapia Groundcover
Exceptional pollinator habitat. Stays 1-3” high. Can survive drought on 1x weekly waterings (greens up with 2-3).
best native grasses & groundcovers
Native Bentgrass
Dog & soccer friendly. Water savings over conventional lawn start at %50 and increase the less it's mowed.
best native grasses & groundcovers
California Silver - Fescue Blends
Ideal for slightly cooler climate regions (though can take some heat with part-shade). MODERATE to LOW FOOT TRAFFIC only.
best native grasses & groundcovers
California Meadow - Grasses & Wildflowers
A more diverse native micro meadow lawn alternative. Sun, shade, drought and damp tolerant. MODERATE to LOW foot traffic only.
best native grasses & groundcovers
Kurapia Grows Low
Spring-blooming. Reduce irrigation or mow blossoms if honey bees are a concern.
best native grasses & groundcovers
Best Bentgrass Lawns
Naturally grows to 12-18" long. Takes on golden tones in warm weather.
best native grasses & groundcovers
FINE Fescue Blends
Grasses from seasonally dry prairies across the West. Great for coastal areas, Norcal, shade or under oaks.
best native grasses & groundcovers
Magic Meadow Moments
Grow a striking blend of yarrow, columbine, native sedge & buffalo grass
groundcover lawns
OTHER GROUNDCOVERS
silver carpet dymondia, dichondra, creeping thyme and baby's tears work great mixed with stepstones. In our experience, they don't have the consistent coverage or durability necessary to create a long-lasting "lawn."
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California Fescue Blends: Festuca californica, Festuca rubra, Festuca idahoensis, etc.
- These no-mow meadow grasses grow thick with a long and sweepy look. They're much more drought tolerant than conventional lawn grasses but not suited to high heat areas. Does awesome on slopes. Like Bentgrass, it browns in patches in summer.
California Meadow Grasses & Wildflowers: Carex pansa, carex praceagalis, Boutlouea gracilis, Buffalo Grass, Achillea millefolium (yarrow), Aquiglea, etc.
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These low-growing ornamental grasses are native to dunes and meadows up and down California. We've mixed buffalo grass, California sedges and yarrow together for a more diverse native micro meadow. Space grasses and yarrow at 12-18" apart for full coverage. Or even further toseed poppies, lupins or other wildflowers in during Winter.
low-water lawn alternatives
2. Drought-Tolerant Plants
There's a lot of options when it comes to drought tolerant plants. More than 20,000 to be exact!
From silver-leaved beauties to succulent rosettes you can make any classic landscape look with drought-tolerant plants.
Group them with plant community members and soils similar to their native wild habitats for the easiest-to-maintain garden and the best water savings.
Tried & True Drought-Tolerant Plant Combos
Cactus & Succulents (Xeric Gardens): Some supplemental 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)
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Favorite Succulents (shade): Blue Agave, Foxtail Agave, Aeonium's, Aloe Vera, Paddle Plant (kalanchoe)
California Native Plants: Most are adapted to longgg periods of drought. They are susceptible to disease if over-watered in hot times. Some, like ceanothus, even die off entirely if summer watered. Natives are also OBSESSED with great drainage.
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Favorite Sage Blend: Brushes like sagebrush and coyote brush, flowering salvia’s, buckwheats and other low-water perennials makeup this plant community. Try: Artemisia californica, any big Salvia ( apiana, gregii, leucantha, leucophylla) any Erigeron species and yarrow (Achillea).
- Favorite Grass & Wildflower Blend: . Easiest small species to try: carex pansa, festuca californica, golden poppy, verbena (rigida or de la mina) & Oenothera. Muhlenbergias are great for a bigger ornamental grass.
drought tolerant plants
Cactus & Succulents
Some xeric gardens like this can survive with little to no supplemental water - particularly when within 15 miles of the coast.
drought tolerant plants
Southern California Natives
In general, Southern California’s native plant communities are dominated by either a blend of grasses & wildflowers or a mix of sages & cacti.
drought tolerant plants
Northern California Natives
All manner of forests and open woodlands intersperse with meadows and Sage scrubs.
drought tolerant plants
Mediterranean Shrubs
The 4 other mediterranean climate regions in the world offer many plants very adapted to drought & that work great in California landscaping.
drought tolerant plants
Spreading Groundcovers
The cheapest lawn replacement option by far! Here calandrinia makes a great low-water succulent carpet & blooms prolifically.
drought tolerant plants
Favorite Mediterranean Shrubs
Many varietals wear out quickly in landscaping (especially if over-watered). New cultivars make Mediterranean gardening in California darn right heavenly...if you know what to buy!
drought tolerant plants
Year-round Gardens
Many cactus from other mediterranean regions of the world bloom in winter and help to feed hummingbirds.
drought tolerant plants
Sage Scrubs & Meadows
Sage scrubs & grasslands tend to have some bare seasons. Here Santolina, Santa Barbara Daisy & Purple Sage mix for a natural effect that stays green year-round.
- 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.
- Southern California Groundcover Plants: Rock Purslane, Rosemary 'huntington carpet,' Ceanothus ‘yankee point’ and ‘Bee’s bliss’ Salvia can spread 5-10 feet if adequate drainage is provided.
- Northern California Groundcover Plants: Juniper, Bearberry and creeping Manzanita can quickly cover hillsides. While yerba buena, bearberry, and columbines can fill-in under large trees.
- Dry Shade: Hummingbird Sage (salvia spatheca) Deer Grass and Catalina Perfume or Evergreen Huckleberry can work wonders.
