Even though many people value the green space in their garden, it is undisputed that it also causes the most work. In addition to watering extensively during the summer months, you also need to fertilize and maintain the lawn after the winter months. However, if you are looking for a replacement, you will find easy-care alternatives.
Ground cover is a recommended alternative
If you have an existing lawn garden, it is relatively easy to convert it into the less labor-intensive alternative of ground cover. Perennials and dwarf trees such as star moss (Sagina subulata), which grows evergreen and shows enchanting white flowers between June and August, should be mentioned here.
The low fat man (Pachysandra terminalis Compacta) is also completely green and forms mats. During the spring months it blooms beautifully white. The so-called sand thyme (Thymus serpyllum) is a sturdy ground cover that develops pink flowers during the summer and is a real pasture for bees.
Lilac cushions (Cotula dioica) are also very pretty. They form a velvety green carpet, are also sturdy and even show a rich green color in winter. Please note, however, that when planting the lilac cushions you should plant around 15 plants per square meter and that the plant likes both sun and partial shade.
More alternatives for Ground cover are the golden strawberry (Waldsteinia ternata) or the prickly nut (Acaena microphylla).
All ground cover plants that you can use as a lawn replacement like loose soil on or in which rainwater cannot accumulate. If you have clayey soil, you should apply some sand before planting the shrubs to achieve greater water permeability.
In order to avoid weeds as much as possible and to save you the trouble of regular weeding, it helps if you plant the lawn replacement in the autumn months, as all the plants known as weeds are already sluggish in their growth. Pull the complete weed from the soil, this ensures that your desired lawn replacement has already grown into spring and can defend itself against unwanted companions. However, until the entire area is well and densely overgrown, you should continue to remove annoying weeds as well and as comprehensively as possible.
Stone and wood as design elements and lawn alternatives
Instead of lush lawns, natural stones and wood also look good in a well-kept garden. Paved areas where you can find inviting seating and magnificent Container plants can be set up, are a real eye-catcher and make you feel like you don’t really miss the lawn.
You can also create small areas in between with gravel and grit, the colors of which you can harmoniously coordinate with each other. Wooden floorboards made from weatherproof wood such as Douglas fir or robinia and larch create a particularly pleasant and homely atmosphere. So-called WPC is a wood-plastic combination that also feels very good under bare feet and is a good one Alternative to lawn represents.
If you not only want to have pleasant soil instead of the lawn, but also want to have a second effect, use bark mulch. This suppresses the growth of weeds and makes any planting very easy. Above all, it gives you the opportunity to easily design garden paths or to create individual plantings.
Sand as a lawn alternative
Sand is very unusual, but still an individual type of lawn replacement. This means you can create a real holiday feeling in your outdoor area and you no longer have to have the sea, the Baltic Sea and the North Sea as a travel destination. Especially during the summer months, you can bring the beach into your home with matching furniture and plants.
Especially if you have children, this is Garden design Recommended without a lawn, because while you save yourself time-consuming gardening, the little ones benefit from an outdoor area that is perfect as a playground.
A gravel area instead of lawn must be carefully considered
A gravel area is often used instead of a lawn. But you should think carefully about this, even if it is of course possible. Maintaining such an area is more complex than initially thought.
It is important that you put down a weed fleece before applying the gravel, as this reliably keeps the roots of the weeds away. But weed seeds flying around in the air cannot be kept away from the surface so easily; they find space to germinate between the pebbles. Especially if there are remains of autumn leaves or pollen dust that was washed away by the rain or other organic matter. Gardening such as weeding remains the same with this replacement for the green space.
Japanese gardens have no lawn
A particularly pretty alternative to a lawn garden is the Japanese garden. If you rely on a concept that is true to the original, elements like moss and stone, but also water and the odd tree. Narrow gravel paths and sandy areas give the whole thing a basic structure and are just as important design elements as moss-covered rocks or a pond with koi carp.
In a Japanese garden Of course, a beautifully shaped bonsai should not be missingas well as easy-care grasses and decorative elements such as garden figures and lanterns. This creates a real oasis of peace that actually requires little effort.
Water as a scenic alternative to lawn
Modern garden design in particular relies more on water than on lawn. If you set up a pond or stream in your green space, you will bring a natural and very special character into your environment. In addition, the bank area can then be beautifully planted with perennials, creating a successful play of colors.
Flower meadows are not just a visual alternative
Colorful flowers and Herbs instead of green lawn – this has long been an issue in German gardens. Especially if their location has poor soil. However, wild meadows thrive here and are also a real source of supply for butterflies and other beneficial insects.
You will receive ready-made seed mixes for Wildflower meadows or butterfly meadows in specialist shops or garden centers. However, it is also recommended if you rely on regional flower mixtures that have already proven themselves in communities or cities in your area.
If you want to have a meadow, but you want it to look like a lawn, then you should use plants like looses trife. The maintenance required is very low and is limited to infrequent mowing; you won’t have any problems with weeds.
Another option is to green some beds and plant small trees instead of your lawn. However, flowering plants that provide colorful accents during the spring and summer months should also be hardy. This ensures that you don’t have to spend any effort overwintering and that the plant will continue to grow in the next one spring and summer visually impressed again.
Depending on the climate, fruit trees and vegetable plants also do well in a garden without lawn. Look for varieties that are easy to care for and ideally perennial, then you will have fresh fruit and vegetables on the table and a visual highlight in the garden.
