LITTLETON, Colo. (AP) — When Lena Astiri first bought a house outside of Denver, she wasn’t interested in fitting the wall-to-wall green grass that ruled the block. She wanted native plants – the kinds she remembered and loved as a child in New Mexico require much less water and is far more to provide declined insects and birds.
“The Kentucky Bluegrass monoculture is helping anyone,” Astiri said. After checking out some nursery before finding what she wants, she slowly reintroduces those native plants into her garden.
Astiri had swapped the grass last month, but it remains It is ubiquitous in American yards. It is a tradition that began more than two centuries ago, with landfall gentlemen copying the landscaping of the wealthy Europeans, and grass is dominated as a familiar planting outside everything from detached houses to Apark complexes, office parks and retail malls.
“If there is no simple direction and guidance on what to do with their landscape, they default to lawn because they are easy.
Homeowner Lena Astili cuts a hole in the weed barrier above her dead grass where native seedlings are planted in Littleton, Colorado on Thursday, August 28, 2025 (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)
However, the grass is problematic in areas with limited water, such as in the deserts and the American West, which doesn’t work without irrigation. As climate change It will make the world passionate And it causes more extreme weather, including drought, a thirsty spread of thirsty emeralds. Already under stress.
Enter Xeriscaping – Landscaping aimed at significantly reducing the need for irrigation, such as using native or drought-resistant plants. (The utility here, Denver Water, coined the term in 1981, combining “landscape” with the Greek word “Xeros” to mean promoting water use.)
Why you think about tearing that grass
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average US family uses 320 gallons (1,211 liters) of water every day. Nearly a third of them are dedicated to outdoor water use. It’s even more for those who have thirsty plants in dry places.
“Drinking water will become more and more difficult to get,” Richardson said. “Reducing lawns is a great way to limit water use in the landscape.”
AP Photo/Brittany Peterson, a native seedling planter in a gap garden in Littleton, Colorado, Thursday, August 28, 2025
His group is not grass-conscious even in areas such as the Northeast and the Midwest. Less lawns mean less pesticides and fertilizers are washed in the river. Many native plants have faced severe population decline in recent decades, meaning pollinators such as birds, butterflies and bees to stop resting and nesting sites.
“We can bring nature back to urban and suburban areas,” says Havenkiers, an associate professor of landscape architecture at the University of California, Davis. “Improved biodiversity and creating habitats will be a big part of the environment.”
It’s also better for people who use the garden, Kiers said.
“So many research shows you spend time on nature and gardening, and this is all really good for you,” Kiers said. “When they’re doing that, they’re not talking about mowing the lawn.”
Take the first step
Kiers says what’s more intimidating than the spread of the grass is the spread of unplanted dirt. Her number one recommendation: Take it slowly. It also reduces costs. Because she said paying someone to do it at once would cost tens of thousands of dollars.
If you have a bed along the outside of the house, expand it. If there is a road leading to the main entrance, place shrubs and flowers on either side of it. If there is no shade, plant a tree. If you already have a tree, create a bed around it. All of these steps reduce grass space.
Eryn Murphy carries native plants in Littleton, Colorado on Thursday, August 28th, 2025 (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)
there is Financial Incentives and Rebates Some states make conversions more affordable. Sometimes it may be provided by a city, county, state, water agency, or local conservation organization. So searching for programs available to nearby municipalities and businesses is a good place to get started.
Looking for landscaping ideas? “If you want to see a great example of the best horticultural skills, visit a public garden,” Richardson said. Kiers recommended finding master gardeners and community garden volunteers.
What is there in Rena’s garden?
Littleton homeowner Astiri remade his backyard with native plants several years ago. Golden rods, sunflowers, rudbechia, purple poppy marrow, Rocky Mountain Bee plants, and more. Some green grass remains for her dog and child to run wild.
Later this summer, she had her hands dirty and turned her front yard into xeriscaping. With the help of restorative landscape design and its owner, Erin Murphy, Astiri had replaced the grass with plants such as bee balm, evening primrose, scar-colored Gillia, prairie dropseeds and tall thimbleweeds.
During a break from the work, Murphy unleashed several different looks for low-water landscaping: perennials, lush grasslands, gaps, stone features, gaps or rock gardens with small plants with cactus gardens.
Greg Gorsky Plants a Gap Garden in Littleton, Colorado on Thursday, August 28th, 2025 (AP Photo/Brittany Peterson)
“The sky is truly at its limit in terms of your creativity and aesthetics,” she said. “We just use the plants that should be here.”
Murphy said that as the lawns become more and more viable due to climate change, people need to “do something.”
“Water continues to become more expensive. Your lawn will stop looking good. You need to open your eyes and say something different and better.”
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