A beautiful lawn is a marvelous thing, but they do take a lot of expense and effort. There are a lot of costs, such as fuel for lawnmowers, fertilizers, and pesticides. They need a lot of water too! Three easy and low maintenance alternatives to having a traditional landscaped lawn are clover, creeping thyme, and artificial turf. What are the differences?
Creeping Thyme or Clover
Creeping thyme and Clover are both ground covering plants that are easy to grow.
Clover grows very fast in any condition. There are many varieties; be sure to choose a species that is not invasive. It blooms in spring and summer, in direct sun or partial shade, and it attracts bees. There are many benefits to a clover lawn including the fact that it stays green with less water and easily covers a large area.
Creeping thyme grows more slowly and it is not invasive. Those who want to replace their lawn with something else usually choose between clover and creeping thyme since they grow at different speeds. Clover will choke out the creeping thyme. Creeping thyme is easy to grow, and it also blooms, likes full sun, and attracts pollinators. Creeping thyme is similar to other types of thyme, but it is so-called because it creeps on the ground as a cover.
Soil drainage is important for both plants, but they can both tolerate poor soil. There is no need to fertilize or try to improve the soil. In fact, clover improves the soil as it brings its own nitrogen.
Artificial Grass
What about artificial turf? Think of this as outdoor carpet! It may be expensive to install to begin with, but once it is there, it is there. It requires no mowing, no watering, no feeding, and can last a long time – in some cases, 25 years or more. It will save water and reduce waste.
There are pros and cons to consider with any of these choices, but these alternatives are lovely to look at, easy to take care of, and make for unique landscaping ideas. Alternatives to grass lawns mean substitutes that are safe against wildfires, require much less water, and are just as beautiful as grass.
You have options! So, explore them all.
This story is brought to you by Great West Media Content Studio. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of the editorial staff.
