skip to main content

lawn alternatives for shady high traffic area

15 years ago

Hi all, I'm hoping you can give some ideas. We bought a house last summer which has a very shady back yard (Ahh, in our Utah summer!) The grass was limping along when we moved in, and our two large dogs have nearly decimated what remained.

I'd love to do away with grass altogether, and put in clover or something instead, however it has to also be durable. I'm also not keen on the bee factor, as we also have a thee year old son. Are there other alternatives that you can think of that would fit the bill?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

iforgotitsonevermind
15 years ago
Shredded mulch.
billhill
15 years ago
I'm no expert on lawn alternatives for Utah lawns, but I know who is.

Here is a link that might be useful: PB Green's Turf Alternatives
Related Discussions
Centipede in shady area of bermuda lawn
Q
Comments (3)
I struggle with some shade areas too. Never considred centipede, but have thought about various zoysias, especially shadow turf. The plugs are really expensive. Then there is the new bermuda-tif grand, but wow. Not on my budget. How about a less agreesive IVY?
...See More
Grass alternative for shady med/high traffic area?
Q
Comments (5)
Supina bluegrass might work if anything will. It depends on how shady the area is and if your dogs are peeing on it or not. Supina is the most shade tolerant of the cool season grasses and one of the most wear tolerant. They originally discovered it on cattle paths in the alps where were it ould survive the constant trampling. Its used in many soccer fields over there. The downsides are that the seed is very pricey, its a lighter shade of green (which some people dont like, i do) and it doesnt tolerate drought. It looks best mowed shorter than traditional bluegrasses. There are fine fescue grasses which are shade tolerant and drought tolerant but they dont wear well. You have to be able to keep trafic off of the area till the new grass is established or your not going to get great results.
...See More
Alternative to Bermuda for shady areas
Q
Comments (3)
You might want to look at Zoysia grass. It goes dormant in winter, turning a light brown color. Here is a link for more info. http://pubs.caes.uga.edu/caespubs/pubcd/L395.htm
...See More
Help! Getting grass to grow in high traffic areas...
Q
Comments (4)
I had that problem when we moved in into this previous used house, a hight traffic area were everyone cuts to get to the front door its was awfull, we tried seeds no result, bcs people kept walking over it, after a year I decided just to water the bear part in the mornings or evenings when I knew people weren't coming, and slightly sprinkle the rest, I also pulled some of the grown grass from other parts of the lawn and planted a few pices, well that worked for me and that still a traffic area, but I keep watering more the path than the other part of the lawn, and my neighbor accross the st told me the people that reside here before could never get the grass to grow, since I live in a budget that worked for me, hopefully I gv you an idea on what to do now if you have the money I seen on tv theres some kind of grass that even grows on cement good luck to you.
...See More
bpgreen
15 years ago
I hesitated to reply because of the high traffic part of the question. Also, my reasons for going with alternatives are more for the water saving.

The shady part votes against the usual water guzzling first choice for Utah of KBG and also precludes the warm season natives like grama and buffalo grass.

Fine fescues will do well in shade. Sheep fescue will live (and maybe even stay green) with little or no water on the Wasatch front. It's fairly wear tolerant but will probably not stand up to two large dogs. Unfortunately, it's a bunch grass, so if it dies, it fills in only by tillering. Creeping red fescue will need more water, but will spread, although I'm not sure how it will do with the dogs.

Streambank and Western wheatgrasses are both rhizomatous, so they'll spread to fill in bare spots, at least to an extent. They're both very drought tolerant and will live with no irrigation water but will need to be watered several times a summer to stay green (I'm not sure how often yet, but I'm hoping to get down to watering 2-3 times a year). I think Streambank is more shade tolerant.

It's best to seed in the fall, but you can probably put seed down now (if your lawn isn't snow covered) for a dormant seeding. I bought some Streambank wheatgrass from Mountain Valley seeds and my western from Round Butte Seeds and Southwest Seeds.

A couple of other local options are Granite Seed and Biograss sod farms.

Crested wheatgrass gets a lot of play as a lawn alternative, but I'm not a fan. Most varieties are bunch grasses, but a few newer ones (Ephraim, Roadcrest) will spread via rhizomes. It will live with no additional water, but the way it deals with lack of water is to go in and out of dormancy very readily. If you get it established and then walk by while thinking of a sunny day, it will go dormant. If you then spit in the street near it, it will spring back (I'm exaggerating, but not by a lot).
rcnaylor
15 years ago
High traffic, and shade... I think you have probably moved out of the grass department and in to some other ground cover. I don't have any experience there.

But, off the cuff you might put in some stepping stones and fill in around those with some kind of ground cover that does ok in shade?

Related Stories

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 7 Low-Maintenance Lawn Alternatives

By J. Peterson Garden Design

Turf isn't the only ground cover in town. Get a lush no-grass lawn with clover, moss and other easy-care plants

MOST POPULAR Meet a Lawn Alternative That Works Wonders

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Carex can replace turfgrass in any spot, is low maintenance and adjusts easily. Add its good looks and you’ve got a ground cover winner

BEFORE AND AFTERS See 6 Yards Transformed by Losing Their Lawns

By Annie Thornton

Wondering whether a turf lawn is the best use of your outdoor space? These homeowners did, and they found creative alternatives

GARDENING AND LANDSCAPING Your Yard: Are You Ready to Lose the Lawn?

By Erin Lang Norris

Save time and water with good-looking alternatives to turf grass

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Get Along With Less Lawn — Ideas to Save Water and Effort

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Ditch the mower and lower your water bill while creating a feast for the eyes with diverse plantings and gathering places

EARTH DAY The Case for Losing the Traditional Lawn

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Work less, help the environment and foster connections by just saying no to typical turf

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 15 Great Ideas for a Lawn-Free Yard

By Laura Gaskill

End the turf war for good with hardscaping, native grasses and ground covers that save water and are easier to maintain

HOUZZ TOURS Houzz Tour: Texas Family Trades Traffic Noise for Frog Songs

By Mitchell Parker

Modern glass and stone structures hug two waterways on a sprawling Texas Hill Country compound

GREAT HOME PROJECTS How to Replace Your Lawn With a Garden

By June Scott Design

New project for a new year: Lose the turfgrass for energy savings, wildlife friendliness and lower maintenance

FRONT YARD IDEAS Before and After: Front Lawn to Prairie Garden

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

How they did it: Homeowners create a plan, stick to it and keep the neighbors (and wildlife) in mind

Sponsored

Peabody Landscape Group

8 Reviews

Franklin County's Reliable Landscape Design & Contracting

More Discussions

Sowed a month ago, but little to no germination

5

Giardia Prevention Help

2

plastic netting implanted in lawn!

2

Plastic netting in lawn starter

2

ultrasonic rat devices

0