Move Over Grass, There's A Low-Maintenance Solution For Sunny, Dry Lawns

Every time the weekend rolls around, do you look at your lawn with trepidation because you know you're going to have to spend a good amount of your free time mowing, edging, weeding, feeding, and watering it? It's no secret that a beautifully manicured lawn is high maintenance, not to mention all the essential lawn tools you need to maintain, which is why so many homeowners are starting to look for alternatives. If you want to take back your weekend and your lawn area is sunny and dry, it's time for you to say "move over grass" because there's a much better low-maintenance solution known as woolly thyme (Thymus pseudolanuginosus).

Woolly thyme is the perfect ground cover for sunny spots that are on the dry side, because this herbaceous perennial prefers dry and well-drained soil, as well as all the sun it can get. What's even better is that it doesn't mind rocky soil, which is great if you have spots where you've struggled to get the grass to take hold. It also doesn't mind a bit of foot traffic and will spring back if you have deer visiting your yard often. In the summertime, it will be sparsely covered with tiny pink flowers that bees and butterflies will flock to. You can't get that with a manicured lawn! And, because woolly thyme only grows to a height of 6 inches, you don't even have to mow it. Frankly, it's as low-maintenance as you're going to get. As a bonus, woolly thyme is perfect for sensory-friendly pathways, as it feels so soft when you touch it.

As long as you live in USDA hardiness zones 5 through 8, you can plant a thyme lawn alternative. To say goodbye to your grass lawn is going to take a little work initially, but it will definitely be worth it when you can spend your weekends doing what you love rather than mowing the lawn. Of course, the first thing you'll want to do is get rid of all the grass in any manner that works for you to allow you to start with a clean base. You want the soil to be well-draining, so add any necessary amendments. However, if the site is usually quite dry, you shouldn't have any problems.

For a fairly quick establishment, you may want to start with small 4-inch plants from your local nursery or garden center. This will get much faster results than starting from seed. Space your plants around 1 foot apart to get the best coverage. If your budget is a little constrained, you can spread your plants out a bit further, meaning you'll need fewer, but it will just take a little longer for the area to be completely covered. The only thing you will have to stay on top of is removing any weeds that might crop up to keep your lawn alternative looking great. When you replace your lawn with this gorgeous thyme species, you'll also end up with a drought-resistant ground cover that will bring pollinators to your yard.