Lawn work isn’t just physically exhausting. It also exhausts natural resources and pollutes the environment. Using a gas-powered lawn mower for an hour produces the same amount of emissions as eleven running cars. Fertilizing and weekly watering also strain ecosystems.

Making your lawn gentler to the environment takes some planning, but the outcome is a lush, colorful, eco-friendly space that will charm your soul and make you feel good about your carbon footprint. And we at Knauf Landscape Architecture can help. We create highly responsive and individualized landscape designs that seamlessly meld a client’s taste with the nuances of the site. From bold, open landscapes to private nooks and sanctuaries, our landscapes are a cohesive synthesis of form and function.

ALTERNATIVES TO TURF LAWNS

Many of the types of projects we’re asked to design lately are those that substitute turf lawns for other materials that require less maintenance and are more practical and ecologically sound. For example, we suggest the integration of materials, such as stone and bark mulch, for pathways and high-traffic areas; ground covers, meadows, or pollinator gardens for large lawn expanses; no-mow ground covers, such as clover, sedums, and thyme, for smaller lawn spaces; and rain gardens with moisture-loving plants, like irises and coneflowers, for wet areas.

Our landscape architects balance these considerations with goals to integrate the building and landscape, provide wildlife and pollinator habitat, and provide beautiful spaces and compositions for people to enjoy.

KEEP THE GREEN WITH GRASSES

But if you love your lawn and want to preserve the look of it with less maintenance and less watering, Knauf Landscape Architecture offers these options:

For a traditional, manicured-lawn look: Try low-growing fescue grasses, which provides a soft, cushiony feel, and microclover, which acts as a natural fertilizer. This mix is drought-resistant and can be mowed once a month or left uncut for a more natural appearance.

For a no-mow lawn: Try a mix of cool-season, dwarf, and fine fescue grasses, which creates a lawn with deep fibrous roots that increase durability in high-traffic areas. It is drought-tolerant and can be left unmowed to form a wonderfully soft and swirling pattern. For a more manicured look, it can be cut every four to six weeks to a three- or four-inch height.

For a once-in-a-while-mow lawn: Try hard fescue grass seed. It is ideal for low-maintenance areas, as well as turf lawns. It is low-growing, has a lovely deep green color, and is shade-tolerant. It can be used for erosion control and can be left to grow for a naturalized aesthetic.

For a meadow “lawn”: Try a mix of northeast-native, cool- and warm-season grasses, such as Virginia wild rye, switchgrass, Canada wild rye, little bluestem, and Indiangrass. Wildflowers mixed in provide food and habitat for animals and pollinators. Meadows require mowing only once a year.

Knauf Landscape Architects specifies regionally sourced materials whenever possible to further cultivate a sense of place and sustainability. The result of our collaborative, environmentally sound approach is a stunning, functional design that fully realizes the clients’ visions and expectations and ultimately inspires people to connect with the beauty of the outdoors.

PHOTO BY LENNY CHRISTOPHER

Knauf Landscape Architecture

38 Eastwood Drive, Suite 3C

South Burlington, VT

www.cynthiaknauf.com