Grass alternatives

With foot traffic

Fescues – Several cultivars of a native grass are available. It is much more drought- and shade-tolerant than bluegrass. Needs less mowing.

Buffalo grass – Midwest native that forms a dense, slow-growing, drought-tolerant mat. It can be mowed as few as two or three times a year. Classified as a warm-season grass, it greens up by mid-May and goes dormant in the fall. Usually planted with plugs. The Legacy variety has many of the same qualities of a traditional bluegrass lawn but uses 45 to 70 percent less water. Buffalo grass needs full sun to do well and it doesn’t thrive in sandy soil.

With little foot traffic

Sunny areas

Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) – Drought-tolerant perennial that can be infrequently mowed. It forms a green mat of finely divided leaves.

Kinnikinick (Archtostaphylos uva-ursi) – Northwest native plant with small evergreen leaves that form a mat. It has small white-to-pink flowers in early spring, followed by a red berry in the fall that is popular with birds. Prefers well-drained soil.

Thyme (Thymus – multiple varieties) Very flat creeping ground cover for sunny areas. Very small gray-green leaves. Some forms have colorful flowers in mid-spring. Can be used between stepping stones. Very drought tolerant with extra water needed only during the hottest part of the summer.

Junipers (varieties of Juniperus horizontalis) – Woody evergreens that creep along the ground. Very good for sunny area with poor soil and limited water. Varieties have various foliage colors, especially in the winter.

Shady areas

Goutweed or bishop’s weed (Aegopodium podograria ‘Verigatum’). Vigorous, somewhat invasive ground cover with light green-and-white leaves. Spreads by underground roots. Great for areas that need coverage and where other plants won’t grow. Can be mowed two to three times a season to keep low.

Vinca vine (Vinca minor) Spreading evergreen groundcover with a shiny green leaf and small blue flowers in early spring. Grows well in the shade and around the roots of shade trees. Moderate water requirements.

Carpet bugle (Ajuga reptans) Good for full sun to part shade. Green and variegated forms spread by underground runners. Grows to 6 inches tall with a blue flower in mid-spring. Requires regular water.

Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum) Especially useful in shady, moist areas. Dainty star shaped leaves on 6 to 12 inch stems that spread slowly by underground runners. Has small white flower clusters in mid-May.