I want to kill.............

Bravo for you AL!!! I would soooooo love to do this!! Mr. DD would have a freakin' stroke though. He loves his lawn. But, you can be sure if I ever move from here and buy another house, it will be new construction with NO lawn! I'll put what I want and have no lawn mower. I just hired a guy to mow our lawn for the rest of the summer because Mr. DD's got sciatica and Lord knows I ain't gonna mow it. Can't give you much advice on the natives of Florida, but PLEASE post some pics when you're done!!

I'll post a pic of the one corner I have done tomorrow, and I'm so glad I'm not alone. I'm sure it's just one more check-mark in the weird category I'll get from neighbors, but I think it looks better. My hubby dosen't care. He hates yard work. I like working in my yard, but I just don't like the grass thing. People used to not have lawns like we do now. I love Jdarg's yard, and others that are similar. It just looks natural, but classy.

I don't think I'll go this far though: You know this is hot in the summer.

I think it's a movement, albeit a small one. Around here anyway. Texans luuuuuuuuuuuuv their lawns! But, I have noticed a few businesses and some homeowners going to natural landscapes and they always look so great! Can't wait to see it!!

Cool articles:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/06/go-dry-movement-spreads-californians-rip-grass.php
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/hom...green-ladwp-lawn-rebate-drought-tolerant.html
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2009/jun/24/yanking-out-lawns-saves-water-and-money/

This is kinda of what I have in mind:

"And what is standing out now are those that have substantially modified their landscaping into non-lawn for the front yard," Stapleton says. "That is truly a deviation from what has been considered normal activity."

Alicia - look into various ornamental grasses to mix in. Some get large and will cover several square feet, add a "line" to your landscape and different texture. And some of the vines can lay across the ground instead of climbing on supports. I wish I was there - we could go through this together!

Rita's a great resource, AL. And she's right about the grasses. There are many that I love, but the pink muhly grass is my favorite. So gorgeous en masse.


p.s.--i've seen it there.

You go, gull! Can't wait to see before and afters of your yard and your water bill!!!
There are a few houses in my hood that have adopted this plan. I hold them in high regard!

We have zero irrigation needs at the beach house thanks to a seminar I attended given by Randy at what was then called The Gourd Garden.

In GA we had new sod laid down last summer before Lauren's wedding reception at our home. It was such an investment that the cost of irrigation pales in comparison to the landscaping costs.

I need more trees in the front, but I want to plant fruit trees to do double duty. I already have three apples, a lime and a lemon tree. Thinking about transplanting the lime and lemon to sunnier spots. I just showed this to my husband and he rolled his eyes, and said "OK, dear." He knows who cooks his steak.:lol: Thanks for the support, ladies. :wave:

Alicia, I totally relate! I hate mowing! One thing I did before - raised beds of herbs, flowers, veggies - and surrounded them with a big area of mulch (couldn't afford hardscaping) --- it did cut down on the amount of mowing. Plus, I do love my herbs! Another plant I have used as a groundcover is Sweet Potato Vine "Blackie" - it is purple, pretty, and grows and flowers even in terrible heat and humidity. It does die down with frost, but comes back. Do you have the Southern Living Garden Book? There are some good ideas for ground covers there. English Ivy does grow really well in DFS, but be prepared for it to become "Ivy Land of the Lost" if it gets out of control! 🙂

Alicia, I totally relate! I hate mowing! One thing I did before - raised beds of herbs, flowers, veggies - and surrounded them with a big area of mulch (couldn't afford hardscaping) --- it did cut down on the amount of mowing. Plus, I do love my herbs! Another plant I have used as a groundcover is Sweet Potato Vine "Blackie" - it is purple, pretty, and grows and flowers even in terrible heat and humidity. It does die down with frost, but comes back. Do you have the Southern Living Garden Book? There are some good ideas for ground covers there. English Ivy does grow really well in DFS, but be prepared for it to become "Ivy Land of the Lost" if it gets out of control! 🙂

Gull, everyday of my life is a fight against one vine:: Kudzu. I need some vines to fight it. THx!:wave:

I have just a little grass in my yard. I have pines so there's lots of sandy places that i keep covered up with pine straw. I've often thought i should rake it up every year and plant some grass, but grass is so high maintenance, so i just leave it. I do love the pink grass though....the kind you don't have to cut.

Alicia, I totally relate! I hate mowing! One thing I did before - raised beds of herbs, flowers, veggies - and surrounded them with a big area of mulch (couldn't afford hardscaping) --- it did cut down on the amount of mowing. Plus, I do love my herbs! Another plant I have used as a groundcover is Sweet Potato Vine "Blackie" - it is purple, pretty, and grows and flowers even in terrible heat and humidity. It does die down with frost, but comes back. Do you have the Southern Living Garden Book? There are some good ideas for ground covers there. English Ivy does grow really well in DFS, but be prepared for it to become "Ivy Land of the Lost" if it gets out of control! 🙂

Alicia, I agree, don't do ivy. It is too hard to keep weeded. We finally killed ours out with Roundup. Much easier to maintain the area now.

On one of our trips to Arizona, we stayed at a resort where the surrounding homes all had rocks for their "lawns" instead of grass. At the time I thought it was weird. I get it now.

Man it's hot outside. Here's a pic of under construction, and done inside the front fence. Lots of shade, so different plants than my full sun areas will be.

I doubt you will miss your lawn and all its headaches (I sure don't), but if you do try it and decide you want a small patch of it there are some non-mow native options.

Considering the economic and environmental impacts of a "lawn" and all its maintenance, watering, and chemicals, this is a great idea for many, many, reasons.

Great project Aleo - you'll be so glad you went native!

Man it's hot outside. Here's a pic of under construction, and done inside the front fence. Lots of shade, so different plants than my full sun areas will be.
View attachment 24883View attachment 24884

Great job!!! Aren't you excited?

Great job!!! Aren't you excited?

I'm very sweaty and smelly and I think I worked off my enthusiasm for the day.:wave: The 105 heat index didn't help.

If you know of a good landscape architect, ask him/her to swing by and give you some suggestions. We did that years ago. We got some great suggestions, and removed nearly all non native plants such as Oleander.