Removing Grass: Less Work, More Green

Reader Contribution by Megan Wild
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The ideal home several decades ago had a green lawn and a white picket fence. While many homes still have a broad expanse of lawn in front and in back, yards in which some or all of the grass has been removed are becoming more popular.

Some of the popularity stems from the need to save water. Watering a 1,000 square-foot green lawn requires 30,000 gallons every year. For context, a person standing in a shower all day and all night for eight days would use roughly that amount. Green lawn replacement obviously cuts down on water usage, and that’s an important consideration — especially in drought-stricken areas like California. But it’s also important to homeowners everywhere interested in natural resource conservation.

Other factors driving the popularity of less grass in yards are the time savings and the movement toward native plants and grasses.

Remember, you don’t have to make an either-or decision about whether to remove grass or not. Many homeowners choose to remove just part of their lawn. They fill the remaining space with either hardscape, such as paved paths or gravel, or softscape, such as shrubs and plants.

Should you think about removing grass in your yard? Let’s look at the pros and cons.

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