yay for the No-Water Yard

In these eco-friendly scapes, the grass is gone-for good!

- ERIN ZAMMETT RUDDY

Imagine never mowing your lawn again...because you don't have one! More and more homeowners are ditching grass in favor of xeriscaping: eco-friendly landscaping that reduces water use by up to 75 percent. Allison Messner, CEO of Yardzen, the country's largest residential landscaping company, said she saw a 66 percent increase in requests for low- and no-water yards last year, "and we expect that number to soar." Some municipalities even offer a rebate for removing grass. In its place, homeowners are planting biodiverse pollinator gardens, hardy ground covers, and unfussy native plants. Take a look...

Wild things

Dillon Tuttle of Native Edge Landscape knew his clients in Georgetown, TX, wanted a natural look, but they didn't have the budget for mature native plants. His solution: planting loads of wildflower seeds. "We had to be patient, but it was worth it," Dillon says. "People stop to take pictures, and the homeowners even get fan mail!"