Grace up your lawn with attractive landscapes without investing much in maintenance with the Best Grass Alternative Plants listed below!
Well-maintained lawns bring an impactful impression to homeowners. However, nurturing a grassy lawn can be hectic; trying out low-lying specimens that would thrive in neglect besides enhancing the landscape would be wise. If you are looking for the same, here are the Best Grass Alternative Plants you must check out!
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Best Grass Alternatives
1. Creeping Jenny
Botanical Name: Lysimachia nummularia
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
The mat-forming oval golden-green leaves with cheery yellow flowers make for an excellent grass alternative for their mounding shape and quick spreading quality.
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2. Creeping Thyme
Botanical Name: Thymus serpyllum
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Corsican Thyme is a drought-resistant herb featuring masses of purple flowers. This can be an excellent grass alternative for garden borders and surrounding rocky boulders.
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3. Rupturewort
Botanical Name: Herniaria glabra
Sun Exposure: Full sun
Rupturewort thrives in neglect and covers the ground with a tiny dense sheet of lush leaves, which makes it a great grass alternative. Grow it in well-draining soil.
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4. Moss
Botanical Name: Bryophyta
Sun Exposure: Partial Sun
Moss can be a great grass alternative plant as it has an unruly growth on marshy and swampy lands that looks like a soft green velvety sheet.
5. White Clover
Botanical Name: Trifolium repens
Sun Exposure: Full sun
White Clover is a low-maintenance nitrogen-fixing legume that makes its fertilizer and needs no extra care to thrive on open lawns and yards.
6. Lily Turf
Botanical Name: Liriope muscari
Sun Exposure: Partial shade
Lily turf features grass-like leaves and lilac flowers that are comfortable to walk on and is resistant to foot traffic, making it a good grass alternative plant.
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7. Creeping Charlie
Botanical Name: Glechoma hederacea
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
The round leaves and pretty purple blooms will add a cushiony cover to your lawn, while their low-maintenance nature will help it thrive in every soil type.
8. Sweet Woodruff
Botanical Name: Galium odoratum
Sun Exposure: Partial shade
The lush star-shaped leaves grow only up to two inches high, besides blooming tiny white flowers that’ll mist the air with a subtle sweet scent.
9. Blue Star Creeper
Botanical Name: Isotoma fluviatilis
Sun Exposure: Full sun
The pretty flowering groundcover grows only 2-3 inches tall, making it one of the best grass alternative plants. It is also resistant to drought and extreme weather conditions.
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10. Creeping Raspberry
Botanical Name: Rubus hayata-koidzumii
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
The green five-lobed foliage takes a burgundy hue in fall through winter, while the pretty white flowers add to the show. It is low-maintenance and pest-resistant.
11. Creeping Wire Vine
Botanical Name: Muehlenbeckia axillaris
Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Once established, creeping wire vine grows well even in infertile, rocky, and dry soil. The low-maintenance, and low-lying properties make it a great grass alternative plant.
12. Miniature Speedwell
Botanical Name: Veronica
Sun Exposure: Full sun
This dense mat-forming perennial goes well as lawn filler for its low-lying, weed-suppressing, and medium-drought tolerant qualities.
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13. Blue Fescue
Botanical Name: Festuca glauca
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
This clumping grass features narrow, blue-green leaves that add texture and color to gardens. It is a slow-growing plant that requires little maintenance.
14. Deadnettle
Botanical Name: Lamium purpurium
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
This low-maintenance plant features variegated leaves and tiny, tubular flowers. It grows quickly and can tolerate a variety of growing conditions.
15. Roman Chamomile
Botanical Name: Chamaemelum nobile
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
With its delicate, daisy-like flowers and fragrant leaves, Roman Chamomile adds beauty and aroma to gardens, which makes it an excellent grass alternative.
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16. Wild Ginger
Botanical Name: Asarum canadense
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
This low-growing plant has heart-shaped leaves and produces small, reddish-brown flowers that are hidden beneath the foliage. It grows slowly and requires moist soil.
17. Dwarf Plumbago
Botanical Name: Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
The Dwarf Plumbago is a compact plant that features clusters of blue flowers that bloom throughout the summer. It is a low-maintenance plant that grows slowly.
18. Prairie Dropseed
Botanical Name: Sporobolus heterolepis
Sun Exposure: Full Sun
With its fine, green foliage and airy seed heads, Prairie Dropseed adds texture and movement to gardens, which makes it an amazing grass alternative plant.
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19. Golden Star
Botanical Name: Chrysogonum virginianum
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
The Golden Star features star-shaped yellow flowers and dark green foliage that forms a compact mound.
20. Blue-Eyed Grass
Botanical Name: Sisyrinchium bellum ‘North Coast’
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
This grass-like plant produces small, blue flowers with yellow centers that resemble eyes. It is a low-maintenance plant that grows quickly and is ideal for use in rock gardens.
21. Barren Strawberry
Botanical Name: Waldsteinia ternata
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
Another of the best grass alternative, the barren strawberry plant features glossy, dark green leaves and produces white or pink flowers that resemble strawberries.
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22. Woodland Phlox
Botanical Name: Phlox divaricata
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
With its fragrant, lavender-blue flowers and spreading habit, Woodland Phlox is perfect for adding a touch of beauty and fragrance to gardens.
23. Foamflower
Botanical Name: Tiarella
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
This plant features delicate, frothy flowers that bloom in shades of white, pink, or purple. What makes it an attractive grass alternative is its ease of maintenence.
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24. Bugleweed
Botanical Name: Ajuga reptans
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
Bugleweed produces spikes of blue or purple flowers and features glossy, dark green leaves, which makes it stand out in any yard.
25. Canadian Columbine
Botanical Name: Aquilegia canadensis
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Sun
With its nodding, bell-shaped flowers, and delicate foliage, the Canadian Columbine is perfect for adding grace and beauty to your lawn.
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26. Allegheny Spurge
Botanical Name: Pachysandra procumbens
Sun Exposure: Part Shade to Full Shade
This low-growing plant has glossy, evergreen leaves and produces small, white flowers in the spring.
27. Bearberry
Botanical Name: Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Sun Exposure: Full Sun to Part Shade
This plant features small, leathery leaves that turn red in the fall and produces bright red berries. It is a hardy plant that requires little maintenance.
