The sprawling green lawn has been the ultimate symbol of the perfect home. Yet, beneath this green facade (or carpet?) lies significant maintenance, water consumption, and environmental costs.
Responsible homeowners and gardeners are beginning to realize the true pain points of traditional grass. But what if they weren’t a-lawn in thinking there was a more beautiful, less demanding, and ecologically richer alternative?
How to Choose the Right Lawn Alternative
You don’t need to be an ecologist to choose a grass lawn substitute.
A good start is to do a little homework on your yard related to sunlight, soil type, and moisture levels. That accomplished, you’ll also need to admit how much work you are willing to put in and the intended use of this new space.
Your choice will also depend on each plant’s hardiness zone and your ecological goals.
If native ground covers are on your mind, here’s a helpful list of native ground-covers that won’t take over your yard like invasive spreaders tend to do.
Answering these simple questions will narrow down your options and give you all the mow-tivation you need.
9 Stunning & Colorful Grass Replacements for Your Yard
It’s time to look at what scoots underfoot and uncover groundcovers.
1. Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum)
I can’t help but adore how thyme creeps along by sending out stems rooting as they spread. With such a convenient growth habit, it is only logical it creates a rich, dense, fragrant, low-growing, and drought-resistant groundcover.
Also, an abundance of tiny pink or purple flowers reliably attracts pollinators. The only challenging trait? It makes me hungry for spicy steak every thyme I cross my yard.
2. White Clover (Trifolium repens)
White Clover is another brilliant groundcover I’m quite fond of. You barely need to mow it, and it’s surprisingly resilient to foot traffic, even if you dance on it (the Irish approve). It works wonders for your soil as a nitrogen-fixer, and will keep its green all season long.
Besides, it’s providing essential nectar for bees and a whole host of other pollinators. If you don’t start feeling lucky every time you see it in your yard, you’d be in serious s-elf denial.
3. Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)
I particularly like how this plant handles things. Its dense growth fends off weeds while deep roots ensure it’s drought-resistant. There’s no need to phlox your muscles with a groundcover requiring such minimal ongoing care.
In springtime, your yard will explode with pink, purple, blue, white, or even red blossoms. More, Creeping Phlox settles right into most rock gardens and is ideal for sunny slopes.
4. Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’)
And don’t give up yet on your yard with those damp or shady patches where grass just won’t grow! Creeping Jenny ‘Aurea’ glowing carpet of golden-green foliage that instantly brightens garden edges and pathways.
It thrives in moist soil, spreads steadily, and brings a lush, ornamental feel to tricky areas. While it’s not ideal for dry zones, it’s perfect for softening borders, trailing between stepping stones, or replacing turf in low-traffic, part-shade spots.
If you’re planning out borders too, here’s a list of easy-care plants that work beautifully along edges.
5. Mazus (Mazus reptans)
Do you perhaps have a puzzling shaded spot in your yard? There is an a-maz-ing groundcover, with small, trumpet-shaped, purple-blue flowers, which is the piece you’ve been missing.
Mazus quickly forms a dense cover, squatting like a happy camper in moist but well-drained soil and the gentler light of partial shade.
Of course, there’s a bonus: it even handles moderate foot traffic. You could certainly say it maz-terfully stiches empty patches!
6. Corsican Mint (Mentha requienii)
If you enjoy the idea of growing a mouthwatering groundcover, Corsican Mint will charm your senses. It also forms a super low, bright green mat of tiny leaves.
Just be aware: unlike thyme, mint prefers a bit of shade and some consistent moisture. Perfect for a fragrant carpet or between stepping stones. Prefer a mojito over a spicy steak in your garden? This mint’s ready to serve!
7. Sedum (Sedum spp.)
Speaking of tough plants for tricky spots. There are so many Sedum varieties to pick from, from low-growing groundcovers to taller types. And yet, what they all share is a fantastic ability to store water in their plump leaves.
Apart from being remarkably drought-tolerant, they’re rather unfussy about soil, too, and enjoy full sun.
Depending on the type of “stonecrop”, you’ll get charming blossoms in pinks, reds, yellows, or whites. Quite conveniently, they will attract pollinators later in the season once other flowers begin to wane.
8. Liriope (Liriope spicata)
Can a groundcover be this good? It offers foliage both elegant and grass-like. It sends up lovely spikes of purple flowers. It also tolerates diverse light and soil conditions. And it excels at erosion control, securing slopes. So consider it your garden’s ultimate soil-dier!
9. Frogfruit (Phyla nodiflora)
No need for fairy tales, Frogfruit is here. Make your yard hoppy with this native groundcover. It acts as a Prince Charming for your local ecosystem, producing small and enchanting lavender flowers that attract butterflies and provide vital wildlife habitat. It can grow in nearly any soil or light, so no, it’s not a frog-ment of your imagination.
If you’re into groundcovers that do more than just look pretty, you might also like this post on fast-growing options that help keep weeds down.
No More Turf-moil!
Gone are the endless lawn chores and thirsty turf as a grand makeover awaits your yard, thanks to these colorful groundcovers. Together, they truly shatter any lingering grass ceiling on beauty. Your garden is about to become living proof: sustainable can be spectacularly stunning.
