Let’s face it. There are some areas of your lawn that are so stubborn that no matter what you do, grass just won’t grow. Let the landscaping experts at Greenhaven give you a few imaginative ideas to keep your lawn beautiful all year round.

Sometimes, grass lawns can be difficult.

Do you ever have the experience where it feels like everyone else’s lawn looks perfect and beautiful, and, no matter what you do, your lawn just won’t get as lush and as green as you’d like it to?

You mow, water, edge, fertilize, aerate, seed, mulch — pretty much anything and everything you’re supposed to do for your lawn, but the results are never quite what you want. It’s not only time consuming, but it’s expensive. It’s a frustrating experience, to say the least. 

We have so many clients who come to us with stories like this. While some folks really love to spend time working on lawns, others would prefer a more hands off approach, which can make situations like this one all the more difficult. 

So, what should you do? As we often recommend, let’s get creative! Here are some of our favorite ideas for those trouble areas where you just can’t get the grass to grow.

Your yard doesn’t have to be a grass lawn!

Typically, when we think of a yard, the first thing that comes to mind is a grass lawn. But…why? Despite certain HOA parameters that some of you might have, your yard could literally be just about anything you want it to be. 

So this is honestly our first recommendation: Let go of the idea that your yard must consist solely of grass. It doesn’t have to. And with increasingly rising temperatures in our summer months, more and more people out there are looking for grass alternatives that require easier maintenance and might even have a better environmental impact than a standard grass lawn. 

Create a focal point garden.

This is perhaps one of your most versatile options. A garden bed, with the right elements and planning, can take on just about any geometric or organic shape and turn what was once a blight in your yard into one of its most beautiful centerpieces. 


You could create a border with pavers or stones, frame it with wood, create tiered, raised beds, or even let it flow into the landscape for a more natural look. 

One key element in making this a success is carefully choosing flowering plants that represent a variety of colors, heights, textures, and seasonal blooming patterns. Ground your garden by planting perennial flowers in main areas of the space while giving yourself room for creativity and variety with different annual flowers, depending on the season or your preferences!

Bring the Southwest to the Northwest.

An increasingly popular concept in landscaping is called xeriscaping, where the traditional grass lawn is replaced with elements that make watering largely irrelevant. This approach has been common in the Southwest region of the United States for quite some time, and has been making its way to other areas of the world due to its unique look, low maintenance approach, and reduction in resource requirements.

Where grass would normally grow in a traditional lawn, it gets replaced with drought resistant plants like sedum, succulents, daffodils, daisies, juniper, sage, and many more, which are then surrounded by pea gravel, stones, mulch, or soil. You can have much more color and texture than you might expect, but with far less water needed to maintain it. 

Again, we always recommend looking carefully at your HOA bylaws before delving into more dramatic transformations of your lawn. 

Consider hardscaping!

Never heard the term hardscaping before? You’re not alone, though you probably have seen hardscapes before. 

Conceptually, hardscaping means to use hard landscape materials, such as wood, concrete, pavers to create pads, walkways, staircases, retaining walls, and just about anything you can imagine in order to curate a yard that is an aesthetically pleasing work of art!

Think decks, patios, outdoor kitchens, garden beds, fire pits, fireplaces, and more. It’s a dramatic and beautiful look, one that can be even more dramatically offset with colorful plants, comfortable outdoor furniture, and mood lighting. 

It’s entirely untraditional, and absolutely beautiful. We love working with clients on projects like these because it gives us the opportunity to really build an outdoor space that is an extension of your home. 

How about surf and/or turf? 

Another way to transform a difficult to grow lawn into a beautiful landscape is by incorporating water features into your yard. 


Fountains, waterfalls, ponds, and reflection pools are great alternatives to a traditional lawn. They’ll not only give your landscape an irresistibly dramatic look, but they’ll also provide you a space for ultimate peace and tranquility. 

For an even simpler to maintain alternative, have you considered artificial turf? If you’re skeptical, we understand, but it’s important to know that today’s turf is far and away superior to the turf of yesteryear. Today’s turf looks and feels unbelievably authentic and requires so little maintenance. 

Our clients who have gone this route absolutely love it, and it’s a great alternative for traditional grass, or for those who want to bring a high-end putting green to their very own yard. 

Want even more ideas for transforming your hard to grow lawn into something exceptional? We’d love to help you! Contact Greenhaven Landscapes TODAY.
For 25 years, we’ve been turning landscapes into dreamscapes, and we can do the same for you. Contact us today for your consultation!