Lose the Lawn to Make Way for Low-Maintenance Outdoor Living
The latest Houzz survey reveals homeowners want to reduce their lawns in favour of lifestyle-enhancing alternatives
Joanna Tovia
24 August 2016
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well. Follow her photodocumentary about pets and the people who love them on Instagram @unfoldingtails
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well.... More
The results from the Houzz Australia Landscaping & Garden Trends Study are in, and we’ve got the low-down on what Houzzers want most when it comes to their outdoor areas. As well as a beautiful and stylish spot to hang out, the results reveal that, unsurprisingly, people want their outdoor spaces (including balconies and rooftops, of course) to be as low-maintenance as possible. Losing the lawn is the most effective way to lower your labour efforts outdoors, and as you’ll see from these garden alternatives, lawn-less gardens can look pretty spectacular too.
The 2016 Houzz Australia Landscaping & Garden Trends Study reveals that 77 per cent of Houzzers place ease of maintenance at the top of their outdoor wish list. To achieve this, 28 per cent are looking to reduce the size of their lawns and 6 per cent are eliminating it entirely – apparently spending a good part of your precious weekend mowing and edging the lawn isn’t many people’s idea of a good time.
Getting rid of the lawn is one thing, but what do you put in its place? Let’s take a look at the options.
Getting rid of the lawn is one thing, but what do you put in its place? Let’s take a look at the options.
Paved outdoor zones
Of the Houzzers reducing or eliminating their lawns, almost half are replacing them with outdoor structures such as patios, decks and gazebos. With a little forethought, your backyard can be sculpted into an outdoor zone as useful for entertaining as it is for a relaxing nap on a Sunday afternoon.
Browse more outdoor ideas
Of the Houzzers reducing or eliminating their lawns, almost half are replacing them with outdoor structures such as patios, decks and gazebos. With a little forethought, your backyard can be sculpted into an outdoor zone as useful for entertaining as it is for a relaxing nap on a Sunday afternoon.
Browse more outdoor ideas
Of the Houzzers who have completed an outdoor project in the past 12 months, almost 80 per cent say they now spend more time outdoors. Indeed, this was a huge motivation to for those getting rid of the lawns to create an outdoor room – the potential to relax, dine and entertain outside. This stunning outdoor space in Melbourne shows how, by zoning out key areas, you can enjoy all of the above.
Patios and pergolas
Just because you’ve opted for paved outdoor living spaces over lawn doesn’t mean they have to be any less green. A pergola draped in Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) enhances a paved dining area and mass plantings of Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’ around the edges add a finishing touch.
Just because you’ve opted for paved outdoor living spaces over lawn doesn’t mean they have to be any less green. A pergola draped in Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) enhances a paved dining area and mass plantings of Liriope muscari ‘Royal Purple’ around the edges add a finishing touch.
Labrador violet (Viola labrodorica) planted between each stepping stone leads the way to this rustic dining spot beside a Melbourne home.
See more of this garden
See more of this garden
Firepits
Even if your backyard is on the small side, losing the lawn can make way for low-maintenance hangout spaces you’ll love spending time in, day and night.
Even if your backyard is on the small side, losing the lawn can make way for low-maintenance hangout spaces you’ll love spending time in, day and night.
Larger backyards, meanwhile, have scope for secret seating nooks out of view of the house – and little lawn in between. The first step in any landscape design project is letting your imagination run wild (or hiring someone to do the thinking and planning for you!)
Decks
A massive 82 per cent of Houzzers are making structural changes to their backyards, with decks being the most popular upgrade. Tree in the way? Just go around it.
A massive 82 per cent of Houzzers are making structural changes to their backyards, with decks being the most popular upgrade. Tree in the way? Just go around it.
This homeowner has taken low-maintenance to a new level, turning the whole backyard into a deck. Adding a green wall makes the most of the outdoor area’s modest proportions, without taking up valuable space; in fact 13 per cent of Houzzers claimed that they had added in this feature.
Pebbles and mulch
The easy-care option of using pebbles as ground cover will save you a bundle on your water bill, eliminate the need for fertilisers and weed killer, and give your front or backyard a striking look. Add a little greenery, and let nature take its course – little to no maintenance will be required, and rain can soak through the pebbled areas and into the groundwater below instead of running off into the stormwater drain – and that’s good news for the environment.
The easy-care option of using pebbles as ground cover will save you a bundle on your water bill, eliminate the need for fertilisers and weed killer, and give your front or backyard a striking look. Add a little greenery, and let nature take its course – little to no maintenance will be required, and rain can soak through the pebbled areas and into the groundwater below instead of running off into the stormwater drain – and that’s good news for the environment.
This neat and tidy option will transform your lawn-less areas into landscaped gardens that look like they get plenty of love and care. Combine mulch with drought-tolerant plants and your life is suddenly a whole lot easier.
Edibles
Well over half of the Houzzers who’ve removed lawn in the past year have replaced it with garden beds, a great way to bring greenery to selected spaces in the garden. What are they planting? The survey revealed that 51 per cent of homeowners were opting for edibles, including fruit, herbs and vegetables. Low-maintenance and flowering plants were other popular choices.
Well over half of the Houzzers who’ve removed lawn in the past year have replaced it with garden beds, a great way to bring greenery to selected spaces in the garden. What are they planting? The survey revealed that 51 per cent of homeowners were opting for edibles, including fruit, herbs and vegetables. Low-maintenance and flowering plants were other popular choices.
Raised vegetable garden beds are easy on your back, and nicely define the area you’ve set aside for growing food.
Why limit yourself one or two vegie beds when you can dedicate your whole backyard to garden edibles?
Learn more about bountiful gardens
Learn more about bountiful gardens
Shrubs and trees
Replacing your lawn with a variety of plantings is a gift to wildlife in your local area – you’ll be providing shelter and food, and helping bee populations bounce back. Ask your garden centre about hardy shrubs and trees local to your neck of the woods, and reap the benefits – the insects, animals and birds will appreciate it, local species are easy to grow, and they’ll be less prone to disease.
Replacing your lawn with a variety of plantings is a gift to wildlife in your local area – you’ll be providing shelter and food, and helping bee populations bounce back. Ask your garden centre about hardy shrubs and trees local to your neck of the woods, and reap the benefits – the insects, animals and birds will appreciate it, local species are easy to grow, and they’ll be less prone to disease.
Shrubs and trees help define a dining or lounging space, and the formula is simple: taper plants in height from tall to short, stretching from the boundary of your backyard to the edge of the zone you want to frame.
Ground covers
These low-growing plants need little to no maintenance and are handy helpers when it comes to choking out weeds. Expect to do a little weeding the first year after planting ground covers, and don’t be afraid to choose flowering varieties that change with the seasons. Kidney weed (Dichondra repens), pictured here, is a spreading perennial native to Australia and New Zealand. It can grow in full sun or part shade and works wonderfully as a lawn substitute in areas that don’t get too much traffic.
These low-growing plants need little to no maintenance and are handy helpers when it comes to choking out weeds. Expect to do a little weeding the first year after planting ground covers, and don’t be afraid to choose flowering varieties that change with the seasons. Kidney weed (Dichondra repens), pictured here, is a spreading perennial native to Australia and New Zealand. It can grow in full sun or part shade and works wonderfully as a lawn substitute in areas that don’t get too much traffic.
Ajuga, a member of the mint family, grows well in shady spots. It’s also known as bugleweed.
Grass of a different kind
Ornamental and native grasses can give a garden so much colour and texture that you’ll wonder why you didn’t replace your lawn with them years ago. Word is spreading about the benefits of this sustainable garden option, however, with 47 per cent of Houzzers planting them in place of their lawn.
Ornamental and native grasses can give a garden so much colour and texture that you’ll wonder why you didn’t replace your lawn with them years ago. Word is spreading about the benefits of this sustainable garden option, however, with 47 per cent of Houzzers planting them in place of their lawn.
The owners of this backyard opted to replace their lawn with beds of Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’ to make it easier to look after – with two large dogs in the family, keeping the old lawn looking good took some serious effort. Large clumps of liriope can be dug up and divided in autumn after flowering, to be planted elsewhere.
No lawn is required in this backyard oasis, but the plantings have been grouped in such a way that it doesn’t feel untamed.
You can see the full results of the Houzz Australia 2016 Landscaping & Garden Trends Study here
YOUR SAY
Have you reduced your lawn? What did you put in its place? Tell us about it in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more Australian garden design ideas
You can see the full results of the Houzz Australia 2016 Landscaping & Garden Trends Study here
YOUR SAY
Have you reduced your lawn? What did you put in its place? Tell us about it in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more Australian garden design ideas
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Your cat was lucky to have you Wuff, a vet told me few bother with the anti venom as it's so expensive, requires multiple doses and doesn't always work.
I have some interesting/entertaining/amusing (with hindsight) stories about my snake encounters. Not as interesting as my encounters with salties however. And I'm a city gal believe it or not, I just took some time to experience life less seen. I've travelled a lot but really experiencing the raw beauty of our Aussie outback was the standout highlight of my life thus far.
Bellacatandme, - the story was cat was my daughters, she had been having a hard time at school, it was Christmas Eve when I found the cat...off to the vet .. Husband hears the quote..nope he says..I just said quietly .. You tell her..little tears rolling down her sweet little cheeks onto the ginger fluff..anyway the cat got the anti venom and the Christmas Eve call out fee..oh the Joys, he was a very nice cat though. I too have had many snake encounters, but I must say no salties, thank goodness but plenty of the Johnson crocs as have lived in the Kimberly but those fresh water all but harmless and less you tread on one.. I would be terrified if I saw a salty any where but from a very high vantage point. Just like a shark, other than the reef sharks but I still get scared when I see them and leave the water