Are you seeking a backyard paradise that’s appealing and low-maintenance all year round? If you’ve tried having a regular lawn, but your water bills are sky high (especially in San Jose and Northern California summers) and turns into a weedy brown mess if you slack off on maintenance, there are alternative solutions. Some people give up on grass altogether and put in a flagstone patio, a combination of mulch and shrubbery or even a desert landscape with a rock garden. However those aren’t ideal solutions if you want to play with your children or pets in your yard.
A patio is a great setting for a quiet cup of coffee in the morning or summer evening garden parties. It is also easy to take care of, clean and allergen-free. Unfortunately, patios are not particularly pet- and child-friendly. Active children need a soft surface they can play on without injuring themselves. Similarly, pets appreciate having something plush they can roll around in.
Mulch landscapes and rock gardens are both low-water and low-maintenance landscaping options, but they are a lot less usable than either a patio or artificial grass. Mulch is commonly made of shredded wood and comes in shades of red or brown. Likewise, a desert landscape is all sand and rocks, so unless you have a lot of other plants, your yard will look very dull and sparse. Of course, combining mulch or rocks with grass or lots of other plants brings you back to the high-maintenance yard you were trying to avoid. Furthermore, it is a terrible surface for children to play on – think of all the splinters and scrapes!
Artificial grass easily it pays for itself within the first few years by eliminating the cost of water, fertilizer and regular mowing. It is the ultimate balance between low-maintenance and high-functionality. Unlike other easy-to-care-for landscaping options, artificial turf provides a soft surface for your kids and pets to play on. It also looks like real grass, but is perpetually green, free of weeds, pests and mud. Synthetic turf lets you have the lawn of your dreams without the hassle of maintaining it.