Keep in mind drought tolerant does not mean low water requirements.

There really is nothing that can replace the functions of a lawn. Some can replicate some of the functions but not all. I have recommended to friends and clients that they just make a play area for the kids and use cedar mulch just like playgrounds. Everyone that has done so loves it. Not everyone uses the pricey cedar mulch though. A good buddy just uses free mulch from the city.

Preventing slope erosion this fall and planting the area are two different activities, unfortunately. Nothing that you plant this fall will prevent erosion with significant rain this year.

If you want to be able to walk on the area, then you are stuck with grass (or something non-live). I have dogs, Dymondia and stepping stones. The dog-free Dymondia in front is perfect and receives only a miserly amount of water, but the dog-used Dymondia in the back is a lot more battered despite somewhat more generous (though way less than grass) water.

Part of my yard is planted with lower growing sages, manzanitas, clumping grasses etc. and the dogs avoid it. They prefer the flat areas.

Thanks! Our slope is very mild, so not significant enough that we are concerned about erosion, happily--just worried about mud. And yes, we're fine with watering as needed, especially to get plants established. There is an irrigation system in place, though it needs to be tuned up once we figure out what's going in there. We would like something (groundcover or otherwise) that will be low-water once it's mature, though. We've definitely been considering the cedar mulch option--especially if we try to level the yard enough to put a play set in. I'll check out the Dymondia--I remember that we looked at that back before we tried the no-mow grass.

artemis78, I'm curious about the "no-mow drought tolerant" grass you gave up on. What was it? Maybe there are better options out there.

It was the Rough & Ready mix from what was then Hobbs & Hopkins in Portland, OR (seems to have a new name now?) It had been recommended for the kids/dogs/shade trifecta that we have. It's a mix of dwarf perennial rye, fescues, and clover, but a large part of our problem (I think) was that the fescues took over, and they go meadowy pretty quickly (so you would need to mow far more often than the once a month that they recommend to keep them at a lawn height). The clover was what was supposed to keep the mix greenish in the summer months, but because it was crowded out pretty early on, the grasses go brown in the summer (which we are okay with aesthetically--they do come back to a vibrant green when the rains start--except that the nature of the clumping grass makes it prone to being pulled up by a dog running over it when it's dry). Overall, it was an interesting experiment, but not a good fit for our space. If we try another grass (which we're open to) I think we'd also want to try for something available as sod, too--some of the problem may have been that the fescue seeds took much better than the others did, for whatever reason. If there are others that might be better candidates, I'd be interested in that as well!

Watching along as we're also trying to figure out what to do with our backyard area. Right now we just have the area mulched with leaf litter and wood chips from tree trimming to keep the dust down.

Children need some lawn. I would try again and just let it look brown in the Summer. So far that is what I have done with the front of my house. It gives me time to think of what I will replace it with. I am not suggesting a huge lawn at all.

Children don't need lawn. Children grow up just fine, all over the world without lawn. Lush green lawns are are a hallmark of the English garden and popular in the US and Canada, but much less popular in the non-anglophone world. If you live in Connecticut, then grow a lawn, but if you live in California, skip the lawn. Your kids will be fine either way.

You could put Granite Fines in the center area. It's good to play on and when installed correctly it drains well and resists being muddy. They come in either a grey or gold color. And later when it rains again you can easily scrape it off and use the area for something else.

It's the install that's the key. It needs to be at least 2" deep but has to be put down in thin layers and then compacted in between. A tamper is OK but a power compacter works better and is easier on the back. It's also a good idea to lay a couple inches of base rock first before the fines.

Here's a good article on installation and pros and cons of DG

decomposed-granite-patios

Two low are use turf grasses that have a more traditional look are UC Verde Buffalo grass ( a buffalo grass hybrid) and seashore pasalllum. They can both be mowed and look like a hybrid bermuda but use a lot less water. The UC Verde will go dormant in winter, but that related to temperatures. With the mild winter we just had, it was brownish for a very short time. Seashore paspallum is used on golf courses and is also salt tolerant. We are testing both at the UC Extension research station where I volunteer.

Saturday, July 25, LA Times mentions 5 drought-tolerant substitutes along with photo and small write-up. These are the ones shown:

UC Verde buffalo grass (as mentioned by lgteacher)

Dune sedge (carex panza)

Native California bent grass (Agrostis pallens)

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)

Native Mow Free (trademarked grass grown by Delta Bluegrass in Stockton) In use at Huntington Library

Thanks, all--we will investigate these options!

Be careful with carex. It can be invasive and the runners are tougher than bermuda grass.

Resurrecting an old thread... Wondering what you ended up doing, artemis78? We are in a similar position (need to figure out what to do with the erstwhile muddy/weedy area and contemplating lawn or lawn-like options.)

Thanks for the feedback! Still not sure what to do but your "experiment" has been helpful.