If you're committed to living a greener lifestyle, but aren't quite ready to say goodbye to your grassy backyard, there's good news. There are definitely ways that you can keep your grassy expanse without feeling eco guilt. Perhaps the best alternative I've found is Eco-Lawn. This grass was developed to grow in a variety of conditions, including full sun, part shade, and deep shade. It also requires no fertilizers, and is highly drought-tolerant. I'm going to be testing some seed out soon, so I'll report back on how well it grows at my house, but given the number of rave reviews from customers, I'm fairly certain I'll like what I see.

A five-pound bag of Eco-Lawn ($32.95) covers 1,000 square feet of space. Once the grass is established, it features a deep green color and an even growing pattern, without clumping. Since Eco-Lawn's grasses have thin blades, water loss is reduced in hot weather, and their deep roots allow the grasses to access ground water, which means you have to water less. And since Eco-Lawn's blades grow at a slow rate, mowing is said to be reduced by 50 percent as well.

However, my favorite part about Eco-Lawn (besides its amazing eco qualities, of course), is the gorgeous lush look of the lawn. It reminds me somewhat of Zoysia Tenuifolia, or Korean grass, when it's not mowed.

For a video telling you all about growing Eco-Lawn, read more.


The Eco-Lawn site is filled with testimonials about the grass's beauty, hardiness, and ease of use, my favorite comment is from someone named Michael D, who writes, "Seriously, this grass is the softest stuff I’ve ever had the pleasure of running over. You never have to cut the stuff — it just falls over, stays short, and looks good. The only grass I plan on using around my new home. Screw mowing the lawn!"