Alternatives to Grass

[Mitzi M]

Absolutely! There are many ways to plant a space clear of thicker vegetation around your house besides a lawn. While a little grassy area may be nice, especially if you have kids, there are a lot of options for larger areas that can require even less maintenance, including low ground covers and/or planted "islands" in cinder, a'a' or gravel groundcover. In my opinion as a designer, these solutions look much nicer and are more in-keeping with the spirit of the land. There are many great looking native plants you can use and luckily they are starting to become more avaiable commercially. A lot depends on your climatic and soil conditions. If your lot has not been completely cleared, you are very lucky! If there is some remnant forest or native plant community, learn about it, preserve it and cherish it. By incorporating it into your landscape you will not only have a unique and beautiful yard but will also be helping to preserve vital habitat for species found nowhere else on Earth. On the mainland grass lawns seem to be the default. In most places, what nature put there to begin with would have been far more interesting (and wouldn't require chemlawn). Check out some native plants and landscapes like Imiloa Astronomy Center in Hilo, Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden in Kealakekua, or the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kaua'i.

Aloha,
Mitzi