Hi Everyone,
So if you follow me on IG you know we recently had our daughter tested for allergies. This past spring we had a pretty bad scare with her which resulted in an asthma diagnoses. Once we figured out what was going on with her her doctor ordered an allergy test be so we can pin point exactly what it is that could potentially trigger another attack. After several months of waiting we were finally able to get in with a specialist last week.
The results of the test were not surprising in some areas (ahem…no cats please) and totally and completely surprising in others–specifically as it pertains to grasses and trees. Basically she’s allergic to allllll the trees. Well at least all the ones that are currently in our yard…and prominent in our neighborhood. And as for the grasses, shes pretty much allergic to the ones that are most commonly used in parks, ball fields, and yep-you -guessed-it, our yard. Poor thing.
For the last year or so I’ve been pressing Naomi pretty hard to give some serious consideration into ditching our lawn in favor of transforming our yard into a lawn free/xeriscape situation–particularly our front yard. At the time it was primarily due to the extreme drought much of our state was in, but now with Bry’s new diagnosis I have even more of a reason to want to make the switch. We are still trying to decide what avenue of approach we want to take for her treatment, but making some changes to our immediate outdoor spaces will certainly compliment her medical treatment as well.
I’ve loved the look of lawn free landscaping for a while now, but not all xeriscape is created equal. I much prefer the style that’s layered with native flowers, ornamental grasses, pretty pathways, succulents and other low maintenance ground cover to those primarly made up of gravel and decomposed granite. I’ve been pinning tons of inspiration so hopefully I can make my case to Naomi who is a gimmeallthelushgreenlawn kinda girl. Here are a few of my favs:
Lori says
I only have a little bit of lawn left out back. The rest of my yard has been converted to permeable paving that makes up paths & seating areas, surrounded by garden. I don’t miss my lawn at all. I have a battery powered mower and it takes me 10 minutes to mow the remaining lawn. Plus if you pick the right plants, you will have lots of birds & butterflies to watch, as well as year-round structure and interest. I am also a big fan of adding a little recirculating fountain tucked into a planting bed. You’d be surprised how much nature it brings to the yard, plus the water sounds screen street noise & neighbors.
My friend Pam Penick wrote a great book about reducing/eliminating lawn, with lots of inspirational pictures– Lawn Gone, and I highly recommend it.
Shavonda Gardner says
Hi Lori!
Your yard sounds so amazing! I totally want to create an environment that welcomes butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators. Ill definitely check out that book. Thank you so much.
Megan says
I’m totally team no grass! I live in Missouri so it’s easy to keep alive, until about this time of year when it dies from heat and no rain. But before long, it’s thriving again. I’ve taken lots of my yard away from my hubby (who is normally team grass) in forms of flower gardens. Lately, I’ve added veggie gardens though. He’s gotten to the point that he doesn’t mind losing chunks of grass because it’s less to mow and we are both extremely busy. I’d love to take more away but we also plan on moving in the next couple of years and grass is still favored here.
Have you checked out @deannacat3 on instragram with her new front yard? It’s gorgeous and totally doable (as in the sections could be done in chunks, not all at once) and I love it. I am so jealous of the variety of plants she has with all the succulents and sedums. We can have a lot in the summer but they won’t survive our winters.
Shavonda Gardner says
OMG yesss! I love Deanna! Ive been following her for a long time now and I seriously just adore her and everything she does. I love her front yard makeover too. And i definitely love that she tackles things in phases.
Jill Catrinel says
Poor kid. There is something to a lush, green lawn, but xeriscapes are beautiful too. If it helps control allergens in and around the house, then that’s a pretty strong case. Did the test results take months to come back, or was that just the wait for a specialist? My dog developed allergies that has her chewing her paws painfully raw during a flare up, so I was going to schedule an allergen test but I know nothing about it.
Shavonda Gardner says
Hi Jill! Yes the tests come back immediately. I actually shared the entire process on IG stories! Im not sure if its the same process for pets, but essentially they introduce you to a series of allergens topically on the skin and wait 10 minutes or so to see which ones you have a reaction to and to what level the reactions are. At that point you know right away what you need to stay away from.
Catherine says
I LOVE the no lawn look!! So much more interesting than a lawn and no mowing! I am so envious of all the xeriscapes I see. I live in Houston which is very hot, humid, and gets a lot of rain, so I would have to go the wildflower/native grasses route. Succulents don’t do so well here. I live on a large corner lot with a big front lawn so I don’t think we can afford to xeriscape anytime soon 🙁
Shavonda Gardner says
Arent they just so pretty! And yes they can be hella costly. Im hoping to tackle alot of it ourselves and in stages. Maybe that will keep it semi affordable. Thankfully we live in an area where succulents thrive so im hoping to incorporate lots of them into our landscape.
Valerie says
Yes!!!It would be a no brainer..can’t wait to see it.im sure you all be able to afford it..just stop shopping so much.?
Shavonda Gardner says
Thats def easier said than done!! lol