We all know how important water is for survival and that it’s essential we conserve it. We also all know how expensive a water bill can get, especially during the summer months when you want to maintain your beautiful front yard’s landscape, despite the fact that your lawn keeps drying out. No one wants their grass to turn brown.
If you’re looking to revamp the landscape in your front yard, you may be hesitant to go forward with the project due to the amount of water needed to keep it looking vibrant. But you don’t have to be. There are water-saving front yard landscaping ideas you can implement. Your front yard will look beautiful, and you won’t go through as much water as you may have, which is beneficial both for the earth and your wallet. Here are five water-saving front yard landscaping ideas that could be great options for you to do.
1. Switch From Grass to Astroturf
Did you know that the average American family uses approximately 320 gallons of water each day, and of that, 30 percent goes to outdoor uses such as watering your yard? That’s a lot of water. If you want to limit your need for water, switching your front yard from natural grass to astroturf may be the move you want to make for your home. Astroturf keeps its color and appearance during all four seasons and doesn’t need more than an occasional rinse to always look great.
Not only will you be saving money on water, but your turf can’t turn brown and it never has to be mowed, so you’ll save money on maintenance as well. It will always look its best, no matter what the weather does. This is important, especially for a front yard, as curb appeal has a bit impact on the value of a home.
2. Install a Drip Irrigation
You may not realize how much water is evaporated back into the atmosphere, but when the sun is beating down on your freshly watered lawn, the heat from the sun can evaporate the water your grass and plants need. This results in your lawn needing more water, more frequently.
Installing a drip irrigation system will help remedy this. Installing it just below, or even directly above, the top of your soil will help to reduce the water waste. Since the water is going directly into the ground, you won’t lose as much of it to evaporation. Plus, you can control just how much water goes into the ground. Another perk of drip irrigation is that it helps conserve the nutrients in the soil, allowing for a healthier garden.
3. Mulch All Planting Beds and Around Trees
If you aren’t already using mulch in your front yard, here is your reason to do so. When you add mulch to your flowers or trees, it forms a protective layer that helps with water retention. Common forms of mulch, such as pine needles or shredded hardwood or bark, work to retain moisture in the root systems of plants. This helps keep plants well-fed, allowing them to be healthier.
It also limits the amount of water that evaporates back into the atmosphere, resulting in water conservation. And as the plants are retaining more water, you will need to water them less than you would otherwise. Additionally, mulch will help deter weed growth and keep the roots cool, and it adds an aesthetic element to your yard.
4. Upgrade Your Sprinkler Heads
Do you have sprinklers in your front yard, or do you manually move a hose or portable sprinkler around your yard? If you are doing it by hand, you may want to consider installing sprinkler heads. If you already have sprinkler heads, make sure they have the ability to rotate. Rotating sprinkler heads have a steady rotation motion. This ensures water is evenly distributed on your law, meaning that all areas of your yard are watered the same. This helps prevent overwatering and also helps to decrease the amount of water lost to evaporation, which is common in older sprinkler designs. It’ll definitely save you water over time.
5. Turn Your Landscape Into a Hardscape
You can get rid of grass and plants altogether, and your front yard can still look beautiful. Rather than having grass, you can have rock features instead, such as gravel or decorative stones, and plants native to desert areas, such as succulents, cacti, and other plants that don’t need much water. To really take your front yard to the next level, you can add stone walkways.
When it comes to a hardscape landscape, there are many different styles, textures, colors, and materials that you can choose from to fully raise the aesthetic of your home’s property. And it requires very little water, if any at all. Plus, there’s no need for a lawnmower or any typical lawn tools ever again. Hardscape features, such as a pathway or rock garden, can also be the perfect companion to the lush green of astroturf.
As you can see, revamping your landscaping can be done without wasting a drop of water. There are many water-saving front yard ideas to choose from. Figure out which one will work best for you, your family, and your home.
If you like the idea of a beautifully green front yard without the need to water regularly, our professionals at Sportech recommend looking into switching from grass to astroturf. We are the experts when it comes to all things synthetic turf in Oregon. It will keep your front yard always looking its best, standing up to time, weather, and the wear and tear of daily life and traffic. For years to come. We offer both residential and commercial synthetic turf services. If you’re interested in learning more or want to hear more about how astroturf will drastically decrease your water usage, contact us today.