As anyone who sweated through the recent string of 90-degree-plus days can attest, it takes a lot of water — a whole lot of water — to keep a turf lawn from turning a toasty brown.

But at least a lawn is also high maintenance. And don’t forget about the fertilizers and the herbicides.

Remind us again, why we are so fascinated with lawns?

Historians trace the roots of the obsession back across the pond, and when George Washington (Mount Vernon) and Thomas Jefferson (Monticello) showed off their well-manicured expanses of green centuries ago on this side of the pond, the status attached to a neat, verdant lawn was ensconced in the American psyche.

Where it has remained ever since.

At least, until a grassroots movement to, well, rip out grass by its roots and replace it with something else.

“Switching away from lawns can save a huge amount of work,” Blooming Nursery owner Grace Dinsdale said. “And, at the same time, provide a nice, airy look for the garden.”

And Dinsdale is far from alone in that observation, even in Oregon, the self-described grass seed capital of the world, with sales of $455 million as recently as 2017.

“There’s a trend of people pushing away from lawns because of water, maintenance, fertilizer,” according to Nutmeg Minneboo, the lead designer for Portland’s SymbiOp Garden Shop & Landscaping. “They’re drawn to lawn alternatives that use less water, take less maintenance, often require no fertilizer and can even create some wildlife habitat as well.”

While it’s up to each homeowner how much time they’re willing to invest in a lawn or spend on fertilizer and herbicides, there’s no escaping that in much of the country, there is less water to go around and no signs of that trend reversing itself.

And as recently as 2020, the Environmental Protection Agency estimated three trillion (yes, with a “t”) gallons of water were used to keep grass lush and green in the U.S., accounting for more than half of the $105 billion Americans spent on lawns.

There are many ways people can respond to this, including watering their lawns until, as is the case in some parts of California, they’re limited to just once a week and wind up following the Palm Springs solution of landscaping by instead using colored rocks.

But it doesn’t need to get to that point, either, as the following three options that exist now in Oregon attest.

Ecolawns

Before you decide how far you’re willing to take the lawn alternative approach, SymbiOp’s Minneboo said, ask yourself this question: How do you want to use your space?

If you want to be able to walk on it a lot and play on it with kids, she said, that suggests one set of options.

If neither of those is a priority, however, the number of options increases, including many using native plants.

“The best is a native landscape with no turf lawn,” Minneboo said, but if you want something that somewhat resembles a traditional lawn without the watering, maintenance and fertilizers, there are several approaches she recommends.

For instance, Minneboo says one of her favorites is planting prunella vulgaris lanceolata, which is already common in many lawns, even if it wasn’t invited.

“It stays low, can be ignored and doesn’t need care,” she said. “It’s easy to seed in the fall and you can get a lot of coverage quickly.”

SymbiOp, in Southeast Portland, also offers a unique native grass blend.

“No one else sells anything like it,” Minneboo said. “It’s a blend of low-growing native grasses” along with yarrow and California poppy, among others.

And with a native grass ecolawn, you can mow just once a month, and can add edible flowers like thymus ‘Coccineus’ (creeping thyme) or chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile) for more diversity and visual interest.

Versatile groundcovers

Grass seed growers surround Grace Dinsdale’s Blooming Junction Garden Center and Farm Market.

In fact, her garden center sits on land formerly used to grow grass seed, but that doesn’t make her a big fan.

Instead, she recommends using groundcovers to substitute for turf, whether it’s in the lawn or in between pavers on a path.

To determine which were the hardiest, she took her 700-foot-long driveway, laid out ground on both sides of it in a grid and then planted dozens and dozens of groundcovers.

“I learned a lot,” she said.

She discovered, for example, that not all thymes are alike.

“Thyme ‘Bressingham’ filled in fast and held up,” she said. “Wooly thyme, on the other hand, was a mess.”

One star to emerge was Leptinella perpusilla, which Dinsdale said “worked everywhere. In shade, in sun, moisture or no moisture, unfazed by foot traffic. Zero issues.”

Sedums can be effective as well, and delosperma can grow with no water in the hardest of soil.

Miniclover

If you currently have a turf lawn in the Northwest and can’t bear the thought of not having one, there’s still something you can do to reduce the environmental impact.

And it starts with clover, but not the invasive kind that seems to make an unwelcome appearance each year.

Miniclover is not THAT clover, stressed Troy Hake, president and owner of Outsidepride Seed Source, near Salem in Independence.

Miniclover “is about one-third to half the size of white Dutch clover (the stuff in your lawn), and blends well with turf,” said Hake, who also sells seeds for grasses and wildflowers at outsidepride.com.

Outsidepride touts miniclover as being drought tolerant because it has deeper roots than turf grass, requiring less water.

It has a dense structure that chokes out weeds and stands up to foot traffic and it can be mowed as often or as seldom (it grows to a maximum height of 4-6 inches) as you like.

Groundcovers in borders

Note: These descriptions are from Blooming Nursery. More on the plants can be found at bloomingadvantage.com/plantFinderList.asp.

Delosperma ‘Mountain Dew’: Masses of dainty yellow and white flowers cover this low growing ground cover in mid to late spring. Evergreen foliage is a soft green color and forms a thick mat that will suppress weeds. Needs sharp drainage to avoid winter waterlogging.

Galium odoratum: Dainty white flowers in airy clusters over the whorled deep green foliage in spring. Sweet woodruff spreads slowly, to form an easy-care groundcover.

Liriope ‘Big Blue’: Spreading, grassy foliage is topped by grape hyacinth-like flower spikes in late summer. ‘Big Blue’ makes an excellent evergreen groundcover.

Liriope ‘Royal Purple’: Spikes of deep purple flowers rise above the dark green, grass-like foliage, and are followed by black berries. A superb edging or border plant for partially shaded areas. Tolerates drier conditions when established. Evergreen.

Ophiopogon umbraticola: Wiry green mondo grass has thin evergreen blades and produces showy white flowers in early spring followed by round blue fruit. Grows well in moist areas.

Lawn substitutes

Achillea ‘Brass Buttons’: Green, ferny foliage forms a low, drought-tolerant mat. Small cream-colored buds open to golden-yellow flowers in the spring. Although delicate-looking, it’s tough and durable. Works well as a lawn substitute; mow once after blooming to keep neat.

Ajuga ‘Black Scallop’: Shiny, maroon-black scalloped leaves are covered with 4- to 6-inch deep violet-blue flower spikes in spring. The foliage color intensifies in cold and in full sun. Prefers moist, well-drained soil.

Carex ‘Blue Zinger’: Tufted bluish-gray foliage spreads slowly, forming a short, blue evergreen carpet. This versatile and tough grass does just fine in either moist or dry and partial shade. Also grows well in full sun and it’s drought tolerant once established.

Carex pensylvanica: The shade-loving Carex is native to the Eastern United States and prefers dry conditions; slightly unusual as most Carex (Sedges) prefer wet. Evergreen and can be used to naturalize and function as a low-maintenance ground cover or lawn substitute.

Carex subfusca: This native western sedge is found from the coast to the desert. Low growing with narrow, upright, dark green leaves, it spreads to form a low maintenance lawn or groundcover. Easy to grow. Can be mowed periodically to maintain fresher appearance.

Cotula ‘Tiffendell Gold’: Feathery, light green foliage mat supports wiry stems topped by gold button flowers from spring to fall. Will tolerate full drought conditions once established. Excellent groundcover or rockery plant.

Cynodon ‘Dog Tuff Grass’: A low-maintenance lawn that is both beautiful and handles constant foot traffic. ‘Dog Tuff’ is dense and deep-rooted, which allows it to hold up to drought during the summer. Needs regular water the first year to get established. Compact, requiring infrequent mowing.

Fragaria chiloensis: Glossy-leaved, tough, evergreen groundcover that is tolerant of many different conditions. Simple white flowers in spring are followed by edible red berries. A Northwest native.

Fragaria vesca: North American native deciduous woodland groundcover that is versatile and rugged. Bears small white flowers in the spring, followed by small, very sweet strawberries in summer.

Fragaria virginiana: White flowers in late spring are followed by sweet red strawberries in summer. This native plant is often seen in open woods or moist meadows throughout North America. Easy groundcover for rough areas.

Herniaria glabra: This evergreen, prostrate groundcover creates a solid, thin mat of tiny succulent leaves. Excellent between pavers and as a flat, solid green mat. The foliage turns mahogany red with cold temperatures, adding further visual interest.

Irish moss: Popular groundcover that forms a dense, rich green mat covered in white flowers in late spring. Excellent between pavers, in rockeries or as a lawn substitute.

Kinnikkinnick (arctostaphyllos uva-ursi ‘Vancouver Jade’): Small, pink flowers in spring turn into scarlet-red fruit in summer and fall. This drought tolerant, glossy-leaved, evergreen groundcover is popular and well adapted to the Northwest.

Laurentia fluviatilis: This popular groundcover is covered with tiny blue, star-shaped flowers May to September. Handles foot traffic well and is excellent between pavers or as a lawn substitute.

Leptinella perpusilla: Feathery, bronzy-gray leaves hug the ground tightly with, small yellow button flowers in late spring. Withstands foot traffic well.

Leptinella squalida: Small, bronze-green, feathery foliage is great between stepping stones. Tiny, yellowish-green to gold flowers are produced in spring. This very tight, low-growing evergreen groundcover is exceptional.

Pratia ‘Celestial Spice’: Deepest violet-blue, starry flowers cover a dark green, spreading foliage mat, June to August. It takes some foot traffic; looks great between stepping stones.

Scotch moss: A mat of golden, moss-like evergreen foliage is covered with tiny white flowers from late spring through summer. Excellent between pavers, in rockeries and shaded areas. Needs regular moisture.

Sedum kamtschaticum var. floriferum: This easy to grow, spreading groundcover with semi-evergreen succulent foliage starts out with red tones in spring before turning to bronzy-green. Prolific bright yellow flowers appear in June. A “Great Plant Pick” for the Northwest.

Thymus ‘Bressingham’: A low carpet of fuzzy gray-green, evergreen leaves and soft pink flowers makes it a dainty accent for the rockery, between pavers, or at borders’ edge. Best in full sun with good drainage.

Veronica liwanensis: Bright cobalt blue flowers in summer, over tiny, round, glossy, evergreen leaves. An excellent prostrate variety well suited to rockeries and pathways. Give this one a break from the hot afternoon sun.

Vinca minor ‘Bowle’s Variety’: Large, deep periwinkle-blue flowers top shiny green foliage in spring. This attractive, trouble-free, spreading, evergreen groundcover can handle a variety of soils and conditions.

Vinca minor ‘Ralph Shugert’: Dark green foliage is edged with distinctive cream margins that set off the bright blue flowers in spring. This is a marvelous evergreen groundcover.

Waldsteinia ternata: This strawberry-like groundcover forms a dense mat of shiny leaves topped with little yellow flowers in the spring. Perfect for large or small areas, this plant spreads nicely but is not invasive. A low-maintenance and attractive groundcover for rough areas.

Blooming Nursery

Online: bloomingadvantage.com

Note: Blooming Advantage plants are carried in many garden centers in the Portland area.

Blooming Junction Garden Center and Farm Market

Where: 35105 Zion Church Road, Cornelius

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Online: https://shop.bloomingjunction.com

Outsidepride Seed Source

Where: Independence

Online: Outsidepride.com

SymbiOp Garden Design Shop & Landscaping

Where: 3454 SE Powell Blvd., Portland

Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Saturday-Sunday

Online: SymbiOp.com

— Dennis Peck, for The Oregonian/OregonLive

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